MTS mulling acquisition of Vladivostok's New Telephone Company if put up for sale
MOSCOW. Nov 18 (Interfax) - Major cellular provider OJSC Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) is mulling the possibility of acquiring Vladivostok-based New Telephone Company.
"We are interested and will be looking at it [New Telephone Company]," MTS president Mikhail Shamolin said at a press conference on Thursday when asked about his company's plans for taking part of the purchase of this asset if a tender takes place.
It was earlier reported that an auction for the sale of New Telephone Company could take place next year. Korea Telecom is the company's owner.
Rostelecom also said that it could participate in a tender for New Telephone Company.
Furthermore, Cellular provider and MTS rival OJSC VimpelCom might show the deepest interest in this auction since it does not have GSM licenses for most of the regions in Russia's Far East.
New Telephone Company is one of Russia's top-10 cellular providers, bringing services to over 1.45 million subscribers.