Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Feb.2
By Demir Azizov- Trend:

The net revenues of COSCOM mobile operator increased by 15.9 percent in 2014, compared to the same period of 2013, and totaled 3.613 billion SEK (nearly $436.2 million), a report from TeliaSonera said.

COSCOM is a subsidiary of Scandinavian TeliaSonera in Uzbekistan and operates under the Ucell trademark.

Minutes of Use (MOU) per subscriber per month stood at 314 in 2014 versus 305 minutes in 2013.

The report said that the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) increased by 15.7 percent and totaled 1.944 billion SEK ($234.7 million). Margin transactions stood at 53.8 percent, compared to 53.9 percent in 2013.

The subscriber base of Ucell increased by 0.9 percent and stood at 8.574 million subscribers.

FE COSCOM LLC was founded in 1996. In July 2007, Fintur Holdings B.V., controlled by TeliaSonera, acquired 100 percent of the assets of the US MCT Corp, which owned stakes in COSCOM.

Starting from June 2008, the operator began providing mobile services in Uzbekistan under the brand name Ucell, working under the GSM-900-1800 standard. In February 2009, Ucell launched 3G for commercial operations, and in July 2010 - the network of the fourth generation (4G) in Tashkent based on LTE (Long-Term Evolution) technology.

Currently, TeliaSonera owns 94 percent of the shares of the operator, while Uzbek minor shareholders hold six percent.

Currently, four companies operate in the market of mobile communication services: Unitel LLC (Beeline trademark), FE COSCOM LLC, FE RWC LLC (TM Perfectum Mobile) and Uzmobile branch of Uzbektelecom JSC.

The Universal Mobile Systems, created by the Russia-based company Mobile TeleSystems JSC (MTS) and the Center of Radio Contact, Broadcast and Television, which is a state unitary enterprise operating under the Uzbek State Committee for Communications, started Dec. 1, 2014 the commercial operation of the mobile network in Uzbekistan.

Under a settlement agreement earlier signed between MTS and Uzbekistan, the Russian company received a 50.01-percent share in the UMS, while the Uzbek side got a 49.99-percent share in the joint venture.

The UMS will utilize the infrastructure and equipment of the former subsidiary of MTS in Uzbekistan, the Uzdunrobita.

In February 2014, Uzbekistan decided to establish a national mobile operator taking Uzmobile's branch Uzbektelecom as a basis for the future operator. The launch of the operator is planned in early 2015.

It is expected to render GSM services using the LTE technologies.