FORM 6-K

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Report of Foreign Issuer
November 03, 2004

 

Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Commission file number:  333-12032

 

Mobile TeleSystems OJSC

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Russian Federation

(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

 

4, Marksistskaya Street
Moscow 109147
Russian Federation

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

 

Form 20-F   ý   Form 40-F   o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

Yes   o   No   ý

 

 



 

 

MTS Announces Subscriber Growth Numbers for October 2004

 

Moscow, Russian Federation – November 3, 2004 – Mobile TeleSystems OJSC (“MTS” - NYSE: MBT), the largest mobile phone operator in Russia and the CIS, announces that its consolidated subscriber base reached 27.79 million users on October 31, 2004.

 

During October 2004 MTS’ consolidated subscriber base increased by 1.16 million subscribers, of which 128,800 were added in Moscow and the Moscow region.

 

Commenting on the subscriber growth numbers, MTS’ Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Mikhail Susov, said: “Our new marketing initiatives in Russia were very well received. We are particularly satisfied with the subscriber dynamics in Moscow and the Moscow region. Our objective for the rest of Russia is to launch networks in the regions where we are not yet operational, in order to increase our nationwide share of net additions. Our recent launches in Astrakhan and Volgograd demonstrate that MTS possesses significant potential for successfully penetrating even established markets with high levels of competition.”

 

(mln subscribers)

 

Oct. 31,
2004

 

Sept. 30,
2004

 

Growth

 

Oct. 31,
2003

 

Growth

 

Subs

 

%

Subs

 

%

Total consolidated subscribers, end of period

 

27.79

 

26.63

 

1.16

 

4.4

%

14.71

 

13.08

 

89.0

%

Russia

 

21.64

 

20.84

 

0.80

 

3.8

%

12.03

 

9.61

 

79.9

%

Moscow and the Moscow region

 

6.83

 

6.70

 

0.13

 

1.9

%

4.61

 

2.22

 

48.2

%

St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region

 

1.64

 

1.61

 

0.03

 

2.1

%

1.09

 

0.55

 

50.0

%

Rest of Russia

 

13.17

 

12.54

 

0.63

 

5.0

%

6.33

 

6.84

 

108.0

%

Ukraine

 

5.89

 

5.53

 

0.36

 

6.5

%

2.68

 

3.21

 

119.9

%

Uzbekistan

 

0.26

 

0.26

 

0.001

 

0.3

%

 

 

 

MTS Belarus(1)

 

1.04

 

0.97

 

0.07

 

7.3

%

0.36

 

0.68

 

188.8

%

 

***

 

For further information contact:

 

Mobile TeleSystems, Moscow

 

tel: +7 095 911 6553

Andrey Braginski, Investor and Public Relations

 

e-mail: ir@mts.ru

 

***

 


(1) MTS owns a 49% stake in Mobile TeleSystems LLC, a mobile operator in Belarus, which is not consolidated.

 

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***

 

Mobile TeleSystems OJSC (“MTS”) is the largest mobile phone operator in Russia and the CIS. Together with its subsidiaries, the Company services over 27.8 million subscribers. The regions of Russia, as well as Belarus, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, in which MTS and its subsidiaries are licensed to provide GSM services, have a total population of approximately 225.8 million. Since June 2000, MTS’ Level 3 ADRs have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol MBT. Additional information about MTS can be found on MTS’ website at www.mtsgsm.com.

 

***

 

Some of the information in this press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of MTS, as defined in the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify forward looking statements by terms such as “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “will,” “could,” “may” or “might,” and the negative of such terms or other similar expressions.  We wish to caution you that these statements are only predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially. We do not intend to update these statements to reflect events and circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. We refer you to the documents MTS files from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, specifically the Company’s most recent Form 20-F/A. These documents contain and identify important factors, including those contained in the section captioned “Risk Factors” that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contained in our projections or forward-looking statements, including, among others, potential fluctuations in quarterly results, our competitive environment, dependence on new service development and tariff structures, rapid technological and market change, acquisition strategy, risks associated with telecommunications infrastructure, risks associated with operating in Russia, volatility of stock price, financial risk management and future growth subject to risks.

 

***

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

MOBILE TELESYSTEMS OJSC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

Vassily Sidorov

 

 

 

Name:

Vassily Sidorov

 

 

Title:

Acting President/CEO

 

 

 

 

Date:   November 3, 2004

 

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