VimpelCom Allocated 13M New Phone Numbers For Mobile Svcs

MOSCOW (Dow Jones)--Russia's second-largest mobile-phone operator OAO Vimpel Communications (VIP) Friday said regulatory authorities have allocated it 13 million new phone numbers to use for mobile-phone services.

Fast-growing VimpelCom last year experienced a severe shortage of new phone numbers and had to slow down new sales in Moscow.

The allocation of the new numbers was also hampered by a large-scale government restructuring.

VimpelCom said Friday's allocation covers its current needs in full.

It will use the numbers in Moscow, the Volga and central regions, the North Caucasus, north and the northwest, far east, Siberia and in the Urals.

Company Web site: http://www.vimpelcom.com

-By Anna Ivanova-Galitsina, Dow Jones Newswires; 7095-974-8055; anna.galitsina@dowjones.com

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Posted to the site on 18th February 2005