Vice President of Vimpelcom Ltd on development of business in CIS states Dmitry Kromsky recalled that Vimpelcom completed deal on purchase of Unitel LLC in February 2006 and introduced Beeline trademark in Uzbekistan in September 2006.

The subscribers’ base of Unitel was 400,000 people in 2006 and as of 1 October 2011 their number reached 5.7 million people.

Jo Lunder, CEO of Vimpelcom, said that today Vimpelcom is not that company, which entered Uzbekistan in 2006. He said that Beeline brand united only four CS states, and it was great achievement.

Lunder said that now Vimpelcom unites 19 companies from Europe, Asia, Africa and Northern America and it has over 200 million subscribers. The company is the sixth operator of the world. He said that the company remembers that Uzbekistan was one of the first markets of Vimpelcom. “We remember that citizes of Uzbekistan laid foundation for current global success of Vimpelcom. Today Beeline in Uzbekistan is one of the successful companies of the group. We follow closely over its development and proud of its achievement,” he concluded.

The main event of the jubilee was a concert, which was held in Tashkent on 25 November. Popular Russian singer Nyusha was surprise for subscribers from Beeline.

Andrei Safronyuk, Director General of Unitel LLC, said that during these years the company was able to introduce new standards of services, equally for all clients. He said that the company invested over US$345 million during five years.

Unitel chief said that the company was the first in Uzbekistan, which introduced 3G technology and made high-speed Internet as norm for all regions. Currently, 3G network is launched n 130 cities and settlements across Uzbekistan.

Speaking about plans, Dmitry Kromsky underlined that Beeline will continue to focus on developing data transfer services – both fixed and mobile Internet. He noted that the company will continue to build 3G networks and offer new products. “We work for subscribers,” he added.

Unitel was founded in 1996. It started commercial activity on 25 September 1997. Currently, it is one of the leading GSM-operators of Uzbekistan.