Golden Telecom
Encyclopedia
Golden Telecom is a trademark of EDN Sovintel, LLC , of Russia.
In 2008, Sovintel was acquired by Vimpelcom (Beeline
).
one of Europe
's leading broadband optical and IP network service providers, a Tier 1
network). GTS had its IPO on the NASDAQ
in 1998. In 2000, a new management including Robert A. Schriesheim as CFO, was brought in to help restructure and refocus the company. GTS was a pan-European communications services provider, backed by Alan B. Slifka
and affiliates of George Soros
and Soros Private Equity, with revenues of over $1 billion and operations in 20 countries in Europe. In October 1999 GTS did an IPO of on the NASDAQ
of, Golden Telecom, which held communications assets in Russia, with GTS retaining a 65% interest. GTS was essentially a portfolio of communications assets in Western and Eastern Europe which went through an IPO in 1998 and subsequently experienced challenges with an over-levered balance sheet as Europe went through deregulation and from the overall fall-out of the dot.com boom and bust which impacted its customer base. In 2001, to facilitate the sale of GTS, Mr. Schriesheim helped lead it through a pre-arranged filing under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (U.S.B.C.) and, in prearranged proceedings, a petition for surseance (moratorium), offering a composition, in the Netherlands to restructure its debt, in excess of $2 billion. All such proceedings were approved, confirmed and completed by March 31, 2002 as part of the sale of the company.
Golden Telecom is a Russian long-distance operator, which is currently building its own Federal Transit Network (FTN) in Russia
. At present, the operator has fibre-optical highways Moscow
-Saint Petersburg
and Moscow-Nizhni Novgorod.
On 17 March 2006 the operator declared that it put into operation the fibre-optical highway Moscow-Nizhni Novgorod. The distance of the line is 485 km (301 mi). The construction of the optical highway Moscow-Nizhni Novgorod was carried out together with Open Society
VimpelCom. Both companies have invested nine millions dollars in the construction.
Since March 2006 Golden Telecom has been building a fibre-optical highway Nizhni Novgorod-Kazan
-Ufa
, with planned operation start in the end of 2006.
Company is building the largest European Wi-Fi
network in Moscow, over 5.000 WAP
s, made by Nortel
, are installed by the end of 2006.
In 2007 the company plans to begin construction of a fibre-optical highway Kazan-Naberezhnye Chelny
-Perm
-Yekaterinburg
and complete the construction of line Ufa-Samara
-Saratov
.
, although it started early by launching its GSM-1800 operation back in 1996. Its wireless network
covers just two metropolitan areas: Kiev
and Odessa
, lacking the national coverage of its competitors. In the early 2000s new owners (controlled by the Russian Alfa Group
) shifted company's strategy, which since then has focused on providing integrated telecommunications services for businesses and other high-usage customers and telecommunications operators.
The current number of Golden Telecom's GSM postpaid and prepaid subscribers is just below 50,000 (June 2007). The outlook of its GSM business is quite grim in the wake of huge success and growth of traditional (Kyivstar
, UMC
) and emerging (Astelit
) competitors. Even its earlier competitive advantage, absence of the connection fee (a small flat fee, usually $0.05-$0.06, charged by Kyivstar and UMC per connection in addition to per minute rate), is not a factor anymore as new competitors (Astelit
, Beeline do not charge connection fees as well.
To cope with its limited GSM coverage, the company has recently concluded an agreement with Beeline, another trailing local mobile operator, which allows Golden Telecom's contract subscribers to roam onto Beeline's growing cellular network throughout Ukraine. This is the first national roaming agreement between mobile operators in Ukraine.
Golden Telecom's network code in Ukraine is +38039*******.
Golden Telecom LLC Ukraine is a division of Golden Telecom Inc. (NASDAQ
: GLDN), which also operates a telecom business in Russia
.
In 2008, Sovintel was acquired by Vimpelcom (Beeline
Beeline (telecommunications)
Beeline is the trademark of the third largest Russian telecommunication operator, VimpelCom . Its headquarters are located in Moscow. Beeline's brand was designed by Wolff Olins as a re-brand for their old corporate identity, assisted by Marina Willerr.-Activity:...
).
Golden Telecom Inc.
Golden Telecom Inc. is an offshore company to support operations of Golden Telecom.History
Founded in 1996 by the global corporation Global Telesystems ("GTS"). NYSE-listed Global TeleSystems ("GTS") was the owner of EboneEBONE
EBONE was a pan-European Internet backbone. It went online in September 1992 and was deactivated in July 2002. Some portions of the EBONE were sold to other companies and continue to operate today.-Formation:...
one of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
's leading broadband optical and IP network service providers, a Tier 1
Tier 1
Tier 1 may refer to:*Tier 1 capital*Tier 1 network or Tier 1 carrier, an ISP which can connect to the entire Internet without paying transit fees*Scaled Composites Tier One, Scaled Composites' suborbital human spaceflight program...
network). GTS had its IPO on the NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
in 1998. In 2000, a new management including Robert A. Schriesheim as CFO, was brought in to help restructure and refocus the company. GTS was a pan-European communications services provider, backed by Alan B. Slifka
Alan B. Slifka
Alan Bruce Slifka was a New York investor and philanthropist, a co-founder of the Abraham Fund and founding chairman of the Big Apple Circus. He was a native of Manhattan.- Personal life :...
and affiliates of George Soros
George Soros
George Soros is a Hungarian-American business magnate, investor, philosopher, and philanthropist. He is the chairman of Soros Fund Management. Soros supports progressive-liberal causes...
and Soros Private Equity, with revenues of over $1 billion and operations in 20 countries in Europe. In October 1999 GTS did an IPO of on the NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
of, Golden Telecom, which held communications assets in Russia, with GTS retaining a 65% interest. GTS was essentially a portfolio of communications assets in Western and Eastern Europe which went through an IPO in 1998 and subsequently experienced challenges with an over-levered balance sheet as Europe went through deregulation and from the overall fall-out of the dot.com boom and bust which impacted its customer base. In 2001, to facilitate the sale of GTS, Mr. Schriesheim helped lead it through a pre-arranged filing under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (U.S.B.C.) and, in prearranged proceedings, a petition for surseance (moratorium), offering a composition, in the Netherlands to restructure its debt, in excess of $2 billion. All such proceedings were approved, confirmed and completed by March 31, 2002 as part of the sale of the company.
List of acquisitions by Golden Telecom
- July 2000 — IT Infoart Stars
- July 2000 — search engine aport.ru
- April 2001 — internet service providers CitylineCityline (ISP)Founded in December 1996, Cityline, a specialist provider of Internet technology , was one of the first major Internet providers in Moscow and across Russia.The founders of this limited company comprise a list of leading Russian businessmen:...
and Uralrelcom - March 2002 — EDN Sovintel, LCC
Golden Telecom
Golden Telecom is a brand of EDN Sovintel, LLC.Golden Telecom is a Russian long-distance operator, which is currently building its own Federal Transit Network (FTN) in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. At present, the operator has fibre-optical highways Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
-Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and Moscow-Nizhni Novgorod.
On 17 March 2006 the operator declared that it put into operation the fibre-optical highway Moscow-Nizhni Novgorod. The distance of the line is 485 km (301 mi). The construction of the optical highway Moscow-Nizhni Novgorod was carried out together with Open Society
Open society
The open society is a concept originally developed by philosopher Henri Bergson and then by Austrian and British philosopher Karl Popper. In open societies, government is purported to be responsive and tolerant, and political mechanisms are said to be transparent and flexible...
VimpelCom. Both companies have invested nine millions dollars in the construction.
Since March 2006 Golden Telecom has been building a fibre-optical highway Nizhni Novgorod-Kazan
Kazan
Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
-Ufa
Ufa
-Demographics:Nationally, dominated by Russian , Bashkirs and Tatars . In addition, numerous are Ukrainians , Chuvash , Mari , Belarusians , Mordovians , Armenian , Germans , Jews , Azeris .-Government and administration:Local...
, with planned operation start in the end of 2006.
Company is building the largest European Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
network in Moscow, over 5.000 WAP
Wireless access point
In computer networking, a wireless access point is a device that allows wireless devices to connect to a wired network using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or related standards...
s, made by Nortel
Nortel
Nortel Networks Corporation, formerly known as Northern Telecom Limited and sometimes known simply as Nortel, was a multinational telecommunications equipment manufacturer headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada...
, are installed by the end of 2006.
In 2007 the company plans to begin construction of a fibre-optical highway Kazan-Naberezhnye Chelny
Naberezhnye Chelny
Naberezhnye Chelny is the second largest city in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia.A major industrial center, Naberezhnye Chelny stands on the Kama River some 225 km east of Kazan near Nizhnekamsk Reservoir. It serves as the administrative center of Tukayevsky District, although it is not...
-Perm
Perm
Perm is a city and the administrative center of Perm Krai, Russia, located on the banks of the Kama River, in the European part of Russia near the Ural Mountains. From 1940 to 1957 it was named Molotov ....
-Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg is a major city in the central part of Russia, the administrative center of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Situated on the eastern side of the Ural mountain range, it is the main industrial and cultural center of the Urals Federal District with a population of 1,350,136 , making it Russia's...
and complete the construction of line Ufa-Samara
Samara, Russia
Samara , is the sixth largest city in Russia. It is situated in the southeastern part of European Russia at the confluence of the Volga and Samara Rivers. Samara is the administrative center of Samara Oblast. Population: . The metropolitan area of Samara-Tolyatti-Syzran within Samara Oblast...
-Saratov
Saratov
-Modern Saratov:The Saratov region is highly industrialized, due in part to the rich in natural and industrial resources of the area. The region is also one of the more important and largest cultural and scientific centres in Russia...
.
Golden Telecom LLC (Ukraine)
Golden Telecom LLC is the smallest GSM operator in UkraineUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, although it started early by launching its GSM-1800 operation back in 1996. Its wireless network
Wireless network
Wireless network refers to any type of computer network that is not connected by cables of any kind. It is a method by which homes, telecommunications networks and enterprise installations avoid the costly process of introducing cables into a building, or as a connection between various equipment...
covers just two metropolitan areas: Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
and Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, lacking the national coverage of its competitors. In the early 2000s new owners (controlled by the Russian Alfa Group
Alfa Group
Alfa Group Consortium is one of Russia's largest privately owned investment groups, with interests in oil and gas, commercial and investment banking, asset management, insurance, retail trade, telecommunications, water utilities and special situation investments...
) shifted company's strategy, which since then has focused on providing integrated telecommunications services for businesses and other high-usage customers and telecommunications operators.
The current number of Golden Telecom's GSM postpaid and prepaid subscribers is just below 50,000 (June 2007). The outlook of its GSM business is quite grim in the wake of huge success and growth of traditional (Kyivstar
Kyivstar
Kyivstar is the largest mobile phone operator in Ukraine, serving 24,944,592 subscribers as of October 2010. Kyivstar's wireless network operates using the GSM standard and provides coverage accessible by approximately 99% of the Ukrainian population....
, UMC
Ukrainian Mobile Communications
MTS-Ukraine is the second-largest mobile operator in Ukraine with 17.74 million GSM subscribers ....
) and emerging (Astelit
Astelit
life:) is the third largest Ukrainian mobile telephone network operator, behind MTS Ukraine and Kyivstar, covering the territory where 97.2% of population lives....
) competitors. Even its earlier competitive advantage, absence of the connection fee (a small flat fee, usually $0.05-$0.06, charged by Kyivstar and UMC per connection in addition to per minute rate), is not a factor anymore as new competitors (Astelit
Astelit
life:) is the third largest Ukrainian mobile telephone network operator, behind MTS Ukraine and Kyivstar, covering the territory where 97.2% of population lives....
, Beeline do not charge connection fees as well.
To cope with its limited GSM coverage, the company has recently concluded an agreement with Beeline, another trailing local mobile operator, which allows Golden Telecom's contract subscribers to roam onto Beeline's growing cellular network throughout Ukraine. This is the first national roaming agreement between mobile operators in Ukraine.
Golden Telecom's network code in Ukraine is +38039*******.
Golden Telecom LLC Ukraine is a division of Golden Telecom Inc. (NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
: GLDN), which also operates a telecom business in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.