Since the foundation of MTS company in Russia in 1993, MTS brand has successfully launched and developed in seven countries - Armenia, Belarus, India, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. MTS is the largest mobile operator in Russia and CIS countries by the number of subscribers.
Speaking on the milestone, Mr. Vsevolod Rozanov, President and CEO, said “This is a moment of great pride. Since the beginning, MTS has affirmed its leadership by providing quality wireless services amid increased competitive intensity in all its existing markets. We look forward to many more achievements, and create an outstanding success story for the brand in India as well.”
MTS is the 8th largest telecom brand in the world and recently been voted as one of the BRANDZ™ Top 100 Most Powerful Brands by Financial Times and Millward Brown.
It is also the most valuable Russian brand in the ranking and one of the 10 most valuable telecoms brands in the world as per the ranking. The MTS brand has risen 18 spots to become the 71st most powerful brand globally with a value of US$9.2 billion, up from US$8.1 billion in 2008.
Number of customers that get mobile services under MTS brand (by end of June 2009)
Companies | Operating under MTS brand | Subscriber base MTS brand launch date |
Armenia | 2.05 mln | K-Telecom launched МТS-Vivacell brand in September, 2008 |
Belarus | 4.48 mln | Mobile TeleSystems JLLC launched MTS brand in June, 2002 |
India | 1.3 mln | Sistema Shyam TeleServices Ltd launched MTS brand in February 2009 |
Russia | 67.42 mln | MTS OJSC operates under MTS brand since 1993 |
Turkmenistan | 1.25 mln | BCTI launched MTS brand in October 2005 |
Uzbekistan | 6.53 mln | Uzdunrobita launched MTS brand in June, 2006 |
Ukraine | 17.78 mln | UMC launched MTS brand in July, 2007 |
Mobile TeleSystems OJSC is the largest mobile phone operator in Russia and the CIS. Together with its subsidiaries, the Company services over 95 million subscribers. The regions of Russia, as well as Armenia, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan, in which MTS and its associates and subsidiaries are licensed to provide GSM services, have a total population of more than 230 million. Since June 2000, MTS’ Level 3 ADRs have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol MBT).