VimpelCom plans to launch its IPTV service in seven more Russian cities by the end of the year.
Quoted in AKTR and ComNews, the company’s development director for broadband access Alexei Krainov refused to specify the cities, which will be in addition to Moscow and St Petersburg.
Although IPTV services are already established in Russia, their development is still in its early stages and they only account for around 4% of the pay-TV market.
Krainov added that VimpelCom is in negotiations to buy a number of local service providers in various parts of Russia. All these take-over targets have compatible FTTB networks and are market leaders in their respective areas.
Separately, Kommersant reports that VimpelCom is in talks with the Egyptian entrepreneur Naguib Sawiris to buy 100% of the Italian mobile operator Wind and a 51% stake in his company Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH), which has interests in Asia and Africa.
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