Russian Mobile Content News
Newsletter, April 18 - May 2, 2006

MTS launching mobile blogs
A leading Russian cellular operator MTS has announced launching MTS.Blogs service. The service provides mobile access to Internet blogs. The users can enjoy all main blog functions: creating and editing of text publications, picture publishing, set up communities. Blog maintenance could be done over Web interface, WAP or i-mode mobile services.
Source: http://www.mforum.ru/news/article/033912.htm

SmartMarketing analyzed PDA & smartphone market for 1Q06
According to SmartMarketing, 106,000 of pocket PCs, smartphones and communicators have been sold in 1Q06 in Russia. That is in three times more than in 1Q05 (39,000 mobile devices). Smartphones' share is 28.7%. The highest growth has appeared in Windows Mobile and Symbian OS segments. The Palm platform is loosing the market. Windows Mobile's market share has reached 66.2% (35.2% in 2005), Symbian OS -- 29.7% (20,3% in 2005), Palm OS -- 4% (44% in 1Q05). In the Windows Mobile segment HTC has 48.2% market share, HP - 18.4%, Fujitsu Siemens Computers - 13.2%, Acer - 4.3% and Rover Computers - 1.8%. The five leading brands keep 84.1% of the market pushing by newcomers (Eten, BenQ, Samsung).
Source: www.SmartMarketing.ru

Inform-Mobil - first Russian content provider in Tajikistan
Inform-Mobil (JMI.ru brand) is the first Russian content provider started operations in Tajikistan (the Central Asia). Local users are offered with an infotainment mobile portal www.jmi.tj. At present, Inform-Mobil's JMI portal has been localized for seven countries: Belarus (www.jmi.by), Georgia (www.jmi.ge), Kyrgyzstan (www.jmi.kg), Russia (www.jmi.ru), Tajikistan (www.jmi.tj), Uzbekistan (www.jmi.uz) and Ukraine (www.jmi.com.ua).
Source: http://www.mforum.ru/news/article/033951.htm

SMS Media Solutions starting cooperation with MTV Russia
SMS Media Solutions and MTV Russia launches a new interactive TV-show "Mobile robots". A competition in studio and an interactive SMS quiz for TV viewers will become the main ingredients of the new project. Solving different tasks and answering questions, viewers will try to win 20 thousand rubles ($700). A studio game includes six rounds, where competing teams show their knowledge of music, biographies of stars and even vip-gossips. Participants receive "times" for right answers. A team which has earned more "times" during all the game goes in the final round. The ultimate aim is to transform virtual "times" into real money. In 2005 revenues of SMS Media Solutions services reached $17.7 mln ($8 mln in 2004) showing 121% annual growth rate. Among Russian content providers the company has the eighth position (by sales volume).
Source: http://www.mforum.ru/news/article/034058.htm

HeroCraft releases Arcade Park games for PDA & smartphones
HeroCraft HiTech & HeroCraft have release a set of Arcade Park games for PDAs & smartphones. The Arcade Park collection is meant to revive the legendary games of the past, popular with millions of users. It includes the following games: Arcade Ball, Asteroids, Rushman, Digger, Gold Hunter, Galaxy Invaders, as well as military games Real Tanx and Riverside Assault. HeroCraft is a leading Russian mobile game developing and publishing company headquartered in Kaliningrad. HeroCraft's games are available in more than 50 countries. HeroCraft HiTech Co. Ltd. was founded in 2005 as an independent company. The company creates games for smartphones and PDAs run by Windows Mobile, Symbian and Palm operating systems.
Source: http://www.mforum.ru/sub/content/news/034033.htm

Promo Interactive runs SMS promo for Sinebrychoff beer
Promo Interactive (Next Media Group) is running an SMS service within a TTL campaign, organized by the Great advertisement agency for Sinebrychoff beer brand (Baltika Breweries, the largest Russian brewery). One can enter into the SMS promotion by purchasing a Sinebrychoff can and sending SMS ($0.15 + VAT) with a code to a short number 3033. The SMS drawing participants can win a marine cruise over Scandinavia, digital cameras and other gifts. Every participant is granted to download original melodies and pictures from Sinebrychoff. In addition to the SMS service, Promo Interactive launched a WAP site for the campaign and developed branded Sinebrychoff pictures and melodies for mobile phones.
Source: http://www.mforum.ru/sub/content/news/034082.htm

Stock quotes in mobile phone
Moscow based Fidel Solutions, a digital content provider, has released a new service - Online Quotes. The service subscribers can receive financial information from the Russian and international stock markets in the real time. The financial data is taked from the Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange (MICEX) and the Russian Trading System "Stock Exchange" (RTS). The service can be accessed over interactive WAP site, by mobile phone with i-mode function and by SMS. The subscription costs $2-8 per month.
Source: http://www.mforum.ru/news/article/034108.htm

Georgia: auction for 3G licence
The national communications commission of Georgia has announced an auction to obtain 3G licence. The auction will take place on May 23 2006.
Source: www.prime-tass.ru

Russian cellular: 1Q06 results
A number of mobile phone users in Russia has reached 132.1 mln in 1Q06 (based on SIM card sales; the Russian population is 145.2 mln people). Penetration rate is 91%. Vimpelcom has 44.8 mln subscribers (1.7 mln gain in 1Q06). MTS has 45.8 mln users (1.6 mln gain in 1Q06). MegaFon has 24.2 mln users (1.4 mln gain in 1Q06).
Source: http://sotovik.ru/analyt/index_395.html

i-Free launches new products in India
i-Free, Russia's leader in mobile value added services, has introduced its new mobile phone videos and animation clips to India's mobile content market. By now i-Free's entire portfolio of mobile content products is available in India. i-Free first came to India in November 2005, launching its services simultaneously on all the major Indian mobile phone networks: Hutch, Airtel, Reliance, MTNL, and others. At first, Indian subscribers were offered games, images and tunes, most of them developed by i-Free specially for the Indian market. i-Free has established a dedicated task force to develop mobile content for India, including Indian musicians, artists, animators and video artists. India, population 1.2 billion, is a fast-growing market for mobile services. Cellular operators have increased their coverage 40% over the past six months alone. There are over 70 million mobile phone users in India at the moment.
Source: http://www.company.i-free.ru/eng/

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