The growth compared to the beginning of 2015 made up 4.62 times. The operator provided services to 188,100 subscribers at the end of 2014. MTS forecasted that subscribers’ base of UMS will grow to 1.15 million users.

Share of the UMS in mobile communication market rose from 1% at the end of 2014 to 4.2% in the end of the third quarter of 2015.

The company said that UMS revenue made up 54.4 billion soums in the third quarter of 2015 against 37.2 billion soums in the second quarter of 2015 (in line with the International Financial Reporting Standards). The company forecasted that the revenue will make up 189 billion soums.

Operational loss of the company in the third quarter of 2015 was 57.07 billion soums and net loss – 28.648 billion soums.

Operating income before depreciation and amortization (OIBDA) made up minus 5.473 billion soums in the reporting period. MTS forecasts that UMS will record positive OIBDA in 2016.

Average monthly minutes of usage per subscriber (MOU) made up 530 minutes in the third quarter of 2015 against 462 minutes in the second quarter of 2015.

Average bill for a mobile subscriber per month (ARPU) reached 23,976 soums (23,373 soums in the second quarter of 2015).

As reported earlier, UMS started to render mobile communication services across Uzbekistan from 1 December 2014.

MTS (50.01%) and Center for Radio Communication, Broadcasting and Television (CRBT) (49.9%) are founders of the venture.

The joint venture will operate on the basis of assets, equipment and infrastructure, which were previously owned by Uzdunrobita FE LLC, a former subsidiary of MTS in Uzbekistan, and which will be transferred to this newly established joint venture.

According to MTS, Universal Mobile Systems LLC received 2G/3G/LTE licenses, a frequency range, a numbering capacity and other permits for operation, as well as investment guarantees under Uzbek legislation.

MTS Uzbekistan worked in Uzbekistan till the summer 2012. In 2012, Uzbek Communication Agency suspended its licenses and later the court abolished its licenses.