MTS brand enrolls more than 100 million subscribers globally

Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL), a joint venture between Sistema of Russia and Shyam Group of India, has announced that the subscriber base for its MTS brand globally, has crossed 100 million. In February 2009, Sistema Shyam TeleServices had launched the MTS brand in India.

MTS is the largest mobile operator in Russia and CIS countries by the number of subscribers. It is the 8th largest telecom brand in the world and was recently voted as one of the BRANDZ Top 100 Most Powerful Brands by Financial Times and Millward Brown.

The MTS brand has risen 18 spots to become the 71st most powerful brand globally with a value of $9.2 billion, up from $8.1 billion in 2008.

Speaking on the milestone, Vsevolod Rozanov, president and CEO, said, ''Since the beginning, MTS 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.''

Shyam Telecom, in association with Sistema, is the first new telecom operator to get pan-India license for launching third generation mobile services. (See: Shyam-Sistema to roll out 3G CDMA services as government announces auction of 3G spectrum to CDMA operators)

Sistema Shyam TeleServices had recently launched mobile phone services in Kolkata, under the MTS brand. (See: Sistema rolls out mobile phone services in Kolkata)