[Effendi]

Belarus? BeST attracts more users, targets low-end users

MINSK, Jan 11 (Prime-Tass) -- State-controlled Belarus Telecommunications Network, or BeST, which started commercial operations in the capital city of Minsk on December 21, 2005, attracted its first 1,000 subscribers through its program that envisages preferential tariffs for some categories of subscribers, Sergei Poblaguyev, the company's deputy general director, told a press conference Wednesday.

The total number of BeST's subscribers stands below 2,000 people as of now, Poblaguyev said.

Subscribers under 33 make up 80% of total subscribers attracted through the program, which will continue until February 15, Poblaguyev said.

Currently BeST has a switchboard center with a capacity of 150,000 numbers, which can be increased to 3 million, and over 30 base stations in Minsk, Poblaguyev said.

Other mobile operators in Belarus, in addition to BeST, include two GSM operators, Mobile Digital Communications and Belarusian-Russian joint venture Mobile TeleSystems, or MTS Belarus, and BelCel, which operates in NMT450 and IMT-MC-450 standards.

Belarus state-owned company Agat holds 75% stake in BeST, while state-controlled fixed-line monopoly Beltelecom holds 25% stake in the company.