OREANDA-NEWS. July 20, 2011. JSFC Sistema (“Sistema”) (LSE: SSA), the largest diversified public financial corporation in Russia and the CIS, announces that the subscriber base of Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL), Sistema’s subsidiary in India which provides telecommunications services under the MTS brand, has over 12 million users, reported the press-centre of Sistema.

At the same time, the number of mobile broadband internet subscribers has reached 800 thousand in more than 150 of the largest cities in India.
 
According to a report of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) as of June 2011, the penetration of broadband technologies in India did not exceed 1%. The National Broadband Plan suggests that the number of broadband connections in India will increase to 160 million by 2014, including 60 million wireless mobile broadband connections. SSTL is constantly growing its subscriber base for mobile high-speed data services, which are today available to 92% of potential users.
 
Sistema Shyam TeleServices Ltd. (previously Shyam Telelink Ltd.), established in 1998, launched its full operations in the State of Rajasthan in 2000. The company received the pan-Indian licence for mobile network operations in March 2008, and presently owns the right to use frequencies for provision of mobile telephony services in 22 circles across the country. The company provides mobile telecommunication services to more than 12 million subscribers across the country and provides mobile broadband services to more than 800,000 people in more than 150 largest cities in India. Sistema owns 56.68% of Shyam TeleServices Ltd. For further information please visit www.mtsindia.in.