DUSHANBE, December 27, Asia-Plus -- Cellular communications operator Beeline has become the fourth-largest cellular operator in Tajikistan.

Limited liability company Tacom, an affiliate of Russia’s second-largest cellular operator Vimpelcom, which is best known for its Beeline brand, has announced the results of work carried out this year.  

We will recall that Vimpel-Communications (VimpelCom) on December 27 last year announced the purchase of a 60% stake in Tajik cellular operator “Tacom” for $12 million.  Tacom is licensed to provide cellular communication services in Tajikistan in the GSM-900/1800, UMTS, CDMA-450, and AMPS standards.  

According to the Beeline representative office in Dushanbe, a total number of their customers in Tajikistan, as of December 1, amounted to more than 65,000 people.  

Beeline has expanded its operations into the majority of regions of Tajikistan, opening its branches in Hissor, Tursunzoda, Tursunzoda (districts subordinate to the center), Khujand, Chkalovsk, Konibodom, Isfara, Nov, Proletarsk, Istaravshan and Shurob (Sughd province), as well as in Qurghon Teppa, Kulob, Danghara and Vose (Khatlon province).   

Tacom director general Igor Pilyugin said that next year, Beeline’s services will be available for residents of Rudaki and Shahrinav (districts subordinate to the center), and Khorog (Gorno Badakhshan). 

He also noted that migration of Tacom’s subscribers to Beeline was completed in November. 

The Beeline brand was introduced in Tajikistan on September 11, 2006.  

  The VimpelCom Group includes cellular companies operating in Russia and Kazakhstan with recently acquired cellular operators in Tajikistan, Georgia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.  The Company operates under the ‘Beeline’ brand.  In addition, Vimpelcom is continuing to use ‘K-mobile’ and ‘EXCESS’ brands in Kazakhstan.  The Vimpelcom Group’s cellular license portfolio covers 78 regions of Russia and the entire territory of Georgia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.