MTS Acquires Multiregion

MOSCOW, July 16, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mobile TeleSystems OJSC ("MTS" -NYSE: MBT), the leading telecommunications provider in Russia and the CIS, announces that it has acquired a 100% stake in CJSC Multiregion ("Multiregion"), one of the leading groups of broadband and cable TV providers in the Russian regions, from Cavolo Trading Limited (Cyprus).

The purchase price amounts to $123.5 million. MTS will also assume debts totaling roughly $94.4 million.

Multiregion is a group of broadband and cable TV providers with presence in 37 cities of the Russian Federation. The current network coverage of the company is around 1.8 million households, of which 1.3 million are FTTB-based. Multiregion has approximately 700,000 cable TV subscribers and 260,000 broadband subscribers.

"The acquisition will significantly enhance our position in the rapidly growing broadband and cable TV markets in the Russian regions. As the largest integrated telecommunications provider in Russia and the CIS, MTS will be able to provide its customers a broad, innovative and bundled offering of mobile and fixed line telephony, high-speed broadband internet access and television services in over 110 cities in Russia. It fits perfectly into our '3i' strategy, as it allows us to expand our integrated service portfolio and to differentiate our products from the competition," commented Mikhail Shamolin, President and Chief Executive Officer of MTS.

Multiregion's financial results will be consolidated in the Company's financial statements beginning from July 16, 2010.

Learn more about MTS. Visit the official blog of the Investor Relations Department at http://www.mtsgsm.com/blog/

Mobile TeleSystems OJSC ("MTS") is the leading telecommunications group in Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, offering mobile and fixed voice, broadband, pay TV as well as content and entertainment services in one of the world's fastest growing regions. Including its subsidiaries, the Group services over 103.5 million mobile subscribers in Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia and Belarus, a region that boasts 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). Additional information about the MTS Group can be found at http://www.mtsgsm.com.

Some of the information in this press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of MTS, as defined in the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify forward looking statements by terms such as "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "will," "could," "may" or "might," and the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. We wish to caution you that these statements are only predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially. We do not undertake or intend to update these statements to reflect events and circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. We refer you to the documents MTS files from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, specifically the Company's most recent Form 20-F. These documents contain and identify important factors, including those contained in the section captioned "Risk Factors" that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contained in our projections or forward-looking statements, including, among others, the severity and duration of current economic and financial conditions, including volatility in interest and exchange rates, commodity and equity prices and the value of financial assets; the impact of Russian, U.S. and other foreign government programs to restore liquidity and stimulate national and global economies, our ability to maintain our current credit rating and the impact on our funding costs and competitive position if we do not do so, strategic actions, including acquisitions and dispositions and our success in integrating acquired businesses, including Comstar-UTS, potential fluctuations in quarterly results, our competitive environment, dependence on new service development and tariff structures, rapid technological and market change, acquisition strategy, risks associated with telecommunications infrastructure, governmental regulation of the telecommunications industries and other risks associated with operating in Russia and the CIS, volatility of stock price, financial risk management and future growth subject to risks.

    For further information, please contact in Moscow:
    Joshua B. Tulgan
    Director, Investor Relations
    Acting Director, Corporate Finance

    Department of Investor Relations
    Mobile TeleSystems OJSC
    Tel: +7-495-223-2025
    E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Mobile TeleSystems OJSC