OREANDA-NEWS. On 14 April 2009 Uralsvyazinform (RTS and MICEX: URSI/URSIP, AADR: UVYZY/UVYZYP) presented its 2008 unconsolidated operating and financial results in accordance with Russian Accounting Standards (RAS).

EBITDA is measured as the amount of profit before taxation, interest payable, depreciation of fixed assets, and expenses for lease payments minus interest receivable.

The company posted an increase in revenue mainly thanks to:

higher revenue (+5.0%) from the provision of cellular communication services due to a rise in the number of mobile communication users (+10.6%);

higher revenue (+48.6%) from the provision of value-added services (datacom and Internet access) resulting from an increase in the number of users (+80%) and datacom traffic (+6.3 times to 23,200 TB).

2008 compared with 2007 include a decrease in the share of personnel expenses, expenses for agency services, a higher share of expenses related to the depreciation of fixed assets, for operator services involving the termination of calls and for the provision of access to Internet resources and a higher share of leasing payments (recorded in the line item “Lease payment”).

The total amount of investments stood at Rub 9.98 bln in 2008 (+40.4% vs 2007).  In addition, 37% of investments was allocated to roll out value-added services (first and foremost, broadband Internet access), while 20% went to the development of datacom and infrastructure and 8% to the implementation of the company’s IT projects.