Moscow Cellular Communications (merged with SkyLink)

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Moscow Cellular Communications (MCC) was awarded the first cellular license in the Moscow region in December 1991. The company paid license fee of US$2 million. The company started its commercial operations in 1992 with a NMT 450 network. The company was founded by MMT – a branch of Rostelecom (23.5%), Moscow City Telephone Network (MGTS - 23.5%), Millicom International (20%), RTDC (22%) and smaller investors as MicroEyesurgery cellular- communications (8%), and Radio and TV State Specialized Project Institute (3%). In 2000, the company obtained a license to develop GSM-400/1800 services in Moscow. MCC received a license to offer mobile communications services with a CDMA-450 network in Moscow city and the Moscow region in April 2003. The company launched those services in October 2003. MCC was the third operator in Russia to launch a CDMA-450 network, following Delta Telecom (December 2002) and Cellular Communications of Bashkortostan (September 2003). MCC's shareholders in 2003 were Sky Link (23.5%), Moscow City Telephone Network (MGTS) with 23.5% (the shares are trust managed by Tsentr-TS), RTDC (22%), Telco Overseas Limited (20%), NefTekKom K (8%) and Gamma Capital (3%). Sky Link (50% owned by AFK Systema) was founded in June 2003 by RTDC to upgrade 450 MHz analog networks of Russian cellular operators using the IMT-MS-450 digital standard and to merge it’s cellular assets in Russia. Clarify percent private. Subscribers- in the old NMT-450 network (until end-2003, Including new network -after 2003 SkyLink attempts to merge the three IMT-MC-450 operations of Delta Telecom, MCC, and Personal Communications (not in the database). Expected investment for SkyLink project in 2004 is US$80. http://www.mcc.ru/ (russian)