Omnitel Passes Subscriber Landmark

Lithuania's GSM network operator, Omnitel says that it now has over one million subscribers. Romas Kuzmickas from Balciu village in Taurage region became the one millionth subscriber this week. Thirty-five-year-old man bough a phone with connection to Omnitel network from Simas retail chain store in Taurage.

Mr Kuzmickas, his wife and two daughters lives in the country, has own land and is engaged in petty trade. Mr Kuzmickas decided to choose Omnitel payment plan 'Family' because of its particularly favourable rates for private subscribers.

'I wanted a newer phone and cheaper communication. Since I move around a lot and make many calls, a mobile phone is a must for me. Besides, many acquaintances and friends of mine are using Omnitel services, so I also chose Omnitel because calls are much cheaper when you are on the same network. I went to Simas store, bought a phone and became subscriber of this company. Then suddenly someone called from Omnitel and told me I was their one-millionth subscriber,' says Romas Kuzmickas. Omnitel provides an opportunity to its one-millionth customer to utter one million words to his friends, relatives and everyone he communicates with on the mobile phone - one million free seconds for calls. The company will also invite the anniversary subscriber to the capital and make his one wish come true, and will also arrange a party weekend for him and his friends in Vilnius. Furthermore, Romas Kuzmickas will get opportunity to receive consultations on a special customer care number for the rest of the time and will get a certificate of the one-millionth subscriber.

'One million subscribers in one company is a special occasion. Our services are used by almost one third of Lithuania. I think it is an important happening not only to Omnitel, but also to entire Lithuania, showing how our society and its life are changing. Only a few years ago we were waiting until one million people have mobile phones. Today one million residents in the country are communicating over our network only. This shows we can be proud of Lithuania as a modern country with increasing well-being of the population, growing needs and people's expanding horizons. Therefore today I give my greatest congratulations to our one-millionth subscriber as well as other subscribers - the enormous Omnitel community. This figure makes us make even bigger commitments,' said Omnitel's President Antanas Zabulis.

He added the strategy chosen by the company, consistent work and subsequently stable growth in the number of subscribers had great impact on mobile penetration in Lithuania.

Omnitel's President referred to the fact that the main breakthrough on this market took place in 2001 when growth in the number of mobile users was the same as during the previous five years. In June 2002 the number of Omnitel subscribers surpassed that of fixed-line subscribers. The company then became Lithuania's biggest provider of telecommunications services. Mobile services in Lithuania are currently used by 59 per cent of the population."

Posted to the site on 28th November 2003