MTS may be about to further strengthen its position in the Russian cable marketplace by acquiring what is the country’s largest independent ISP.
Kommersant reports that the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) has approved a request by MTS to buy 100% of Cyprus Colswick Holdings Ltd, the owner of Ufanet.
Ufanet has cable and internet interests in the Bashkortostan and Orenburg regions and posted revenues of R1.22 billion (€29.46 million) and a loss of R132.23 million in 2009.
Ufanet has previously attracted interest from Svyazinvest, Vimpelcom and MegaFon, with the latter apparently coming closest to buying the company in 2010.
MTS is already present in Russia’s cable market through Comstar-UTS and Multiregion.