Dontelekom GSM - (Merged with MTS)

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Dontelekom provides GSM-900 standard cellular communications services using equipment from Siemens and Motorola in Rostov Region, Russia, with a population of 4.5 million. The company offers The company was formed in 1994 by Russian Telecommunications Development Corporation (RTDC) (33%), a subsidiary of US West International, and the partially privatized Elektrosvyaz (33%) and Rostelekom (33%). The venture was formed by a $6 million statuary fund. The GSM 800 system started operations in July 1995. The network had four base stations installed by Siemens and Motorolain in 1997. The total project cost was estimated at US$30 million, and US West invested $10 million by 1998. Dontelekom competed with two other networks, Rostovtelekom (Rostov-Bee-line) and a CDMA network developed by the local telecom company and Qualacomm. In 2000, MediaOne sold its subsidiary RTDC to MCT Corp. MTS, purchased a 66.66% stake in Dontelekom for $15 million in September 2002, and purchased the remaining 33.33% stake for $7.5 million in October 2002. Dontelecom started using trademark MTS in April 2003. The take over deal was completed in late 2004 when seven liquidated subsidiaries' licenses were handed over to MTS. As of 2004, MTS controlled 22 Russian operators. http://www.dontelecom.ru Since 2003 consolidated into Mobile Telesystems. US$50 million investment in 2003, 44 thousand subscribers.