MOSCOW, February 12 (RIA Novosti) - Mobile TeleSystems [RTS: MTSS] said Monday its consolidated subscriber base increased 0.8%, month-on-month, in January 2007, to 73.41 million.
MTS is the largest mobile phone operator in Russia and in Central and Eastern Europe in terms of its franchise. The company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange and on off-exchange markets in Europe.
AFK Sistema, one of Russia's largest diversified corporations, owns a 52.8% share of the company.
VimpelCom, Russia's second-largest mobile operator, best known for its Beeline brand, said on its Web site it had 53.3 million subscribers in Russia and the former Soviet republics as of November 30, 2006.
MegaFon, Russia's third-largest mobile operator, said on its Web site it had 30,202,284 subscribers in January 2007.