Extel Mobile (merged with Vimpelcom)

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Extel Mobile has a a 10-year license for providing mobile services in GSM-900/1800 frequency band in Kaliningrad region. The company launched its commercial services in the Summer 1997 and was mainly owned by Telenor Invest (49%), unit of Telenor (Norway), national operator. The Kaliningrad network had four base stations covering half the area's population by 1997. The network with limited functionality had 1000 subscribers at the end of 1997. Full roaming services with other GSM operators, including Telenor Mobil of Norway became operational by the spring of 1998. The company planned to invest some US$15 million in its operations. In December 2002, Russia's second-largest mobile telephone operator Vimpelcom purchased Extel for about US$25 million buying up 51% of its shares from private hands and a 49% stake from a subsidiary of Norway's Telenor, which itself held a 25% stake in Vimpelcom. In addition, VimpelCom assumed from Telenor a guarantee for a US$10 million loan that Extel owed a third party. At the time of acquisition Extel was Russia's 10th largest cellular operator and the leading player in the Kaliningrad region with a 65% market share. In July 2003 Extel started providing services under the BeeLine brand name. 100% owned by VimpelCom.