Amsterdam (22 July 2016) - VimpelCom Ltd. (NASDAQ: VIP), the international communications and technology company that is committed to bringing the digital world to each and every customer, announced today that its subsidiary in Uzbekistan has been granted a 15-year extension to its operating license.
The decision by the Uzbekistan Regulatory authorities to extend the license follows an application submitted in May 2016 and takes into consideration the company’s plans for further development of its telecommunications network.
Uzbekistan is a key market for VimpelCom, where it operates under the Beeline brand and provides 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE communications and digital services to 9.5 million customers. VimpelCom has invested more than USD 1 billion in Uzbekistan since 2006 and has paid more than USD 950 million in tax, making it one of the country’s top taxpayers.
Dmitriy Shukov, CEO of Beeline Uzbekistan, said: “We are extremely pleased to have our license extended in Uzbekistan and will continue to serve our customers in this important market by providing them with world-class products and services. We cover 88% of the Uzbekistan population with our 2G network, 52% with 3G, and are now preparing to significantly expand our 4G/LTE services. VimpelCom is committed to providing access to essential digital and telecommunications services across our diverse footprint where we aim to make a difference to the lives of the millions of customers we serve.”
Beeline Uzbekistan was founded in 1996 and is the leading telecoms operator in the country. On 2 December 2008, it became the first company to announce the commercial launch of 3G in Uzbekistan. It was also the first operator to commercially launch 4G/LTE services, on 4 September 2014.
