Yerevan, February 13 /Mediamax/. During the second quarter of 2007, “VimpelCom” plans to start constructing the next generation network (NGN) in Armenia for the launching of a convergent solution.

Mediamax reports referring the Russian media that the General Director of “VimpelCom” Alexander Izosimov said this.

“We bought “ArmenTel” with a fixed communication to understand whether it is reasonable for us to take part in the given business later or not”, Izosimov stated. He noted that the preparation for the construction and the negotiations with the suppliers of the equipment and the billing solutions is already in process. According to him, the investments in the given project will not require separate financing and will not be “scary”.

Alexander Izosimov stated that the share-holders of “VimpelCom” agree to the plans and there are no particular discords as to the given issue.

According to the plans, the next generation network will be constructed in Armenia by the end of 2007.

Mediamax recalls that the Executive Vice-President of “VimpelCom” for Business Development in the CIS states Sergey Avdeev stated in late December of 2006 that the company is examining the situation in the “ArmenTel” Company and is thinking over the prospect of convergence of services.

Sergey Avdeev noted that ““ArmenTel” dominates on the market of fixed communication, at that, the mobile communication is in many respects submitted to the fixed one”.

“We do not consider ourselves great specialists in that sphere and we would not like the things go the other way round in “ArmenTel” – for the fixed communication to be submitted to the mobile one with our arrival here. Now, we are examining the situation, we are thinking over synergy and convergence of services. But we are careful as to that idea yet, as there are no bright examples of convergence in the world: much talk, little sense”, the Vice-President of “VimpelCom” was saying.