VimpelCom Acquires 60% in Tajikistan's Tacom

MOSCOW, Dec 30 (Prime-Tass) -- Russia's second-largest mobile operator VimpelCom has acquired a 60% stake in Tajik mobile operator Tacom for U.S. $12 million, VimpelCom said late Thursday.

Tacom holds licenses to provide GSM 900/1800, UMTS, CDMA-450 and AMPS standard services in Tajikistan.

The agreement with other shareholders of Tacom gives VimpelCom a priority right to buy the remaining 40% in the company, VimpelCom said.

One of Tacom's other shareholders is a beneficial owner and chairman of Orienbank, one of the largest banks in Tajikistan, VimpelCom said.

VimpelCom plans to integrate Tacom into its Beeline network, the company said.

VimpelCom provides services under the Beeline brand name in Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. VimpelCom's consolidated subscriber base totaled 43.077 million people as of November 30, according to Advanced Communications & Media (AC&M).

VimpelCom's key shareholders are Telenor, which holds 26.6% in VimpelCom, and Russia's Alfa Group, which indirectly owns 32.9%.

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Posted to the site on 30th December 2005