Company

Established in May 2002, Open Joint Stock Company MegaFon is a leading universal telecommunications provider in Russia and offers a broad range of voice, data and other telecommunication services to businesses, other telecommunications service providers and retail subscribers, with licenses to operate in all regions of Russia, covering a population of approximately 142 million.  

On June 2, 2010, MegaFon completed the acquisition of Synterra, a national fixed-line operator. This transaction will strengthen MegaFon's positions in the market for long-distance communications, fixed and mobile broadband Internet access, and convergent services. Synterra’s broad  network infrastructure will significantly enhance MegaFon’s own fiber optical network, and provide a powerful platform for intensive development of the business of the combined companies in the future.

The Company intends, wherever possible, to offer its wireless services under the “MegaFon” brand, and its wireline services under “Synterra” or “PeterStar” brands, although some services still carry local brand names because of local market conditions. In addition to its operations in Russia, the Company provides wireless services through its subsidiaries in the Republic of Tajikistan,  the Republic of Abkhazia  and the Republic of South Ossetia.

MegaFon became the first and remains the only operator with a mobile network covering all regions of Russia. The Company was also the first operator to launch 3G commercial operations using the UMTS standard. MegaFon’s network makes use of advanced technologies providing customers with new opportunities for communication and data processing.

On April 2, 2009, MegaFon became General Partner and official Mobile Operator of the XXII Winter Olympic Games and XI Winter Paralympic Games to be held in Sochi in 2014.  According to the Partnership Agreement MegaFon also has the status of General Partner for the Olympic Committee of Russia and General Partner for the Russian Olympic Team in 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016.

In September 2009, the international rating agency Standard & Poor’s raised MegaFon’s long-term foreign-currency credit rating to ‘BBB-’ and its long-term local-currency rating to ‘ruAAA’; in December 2009, Moody’s Investors Service raised the Company’s international corporate rating and default probability rating to ‘Ba1’ with the outlook ‘stable’ - the highest grade ever awarded to a Russian telecommunications company.