Azercell releasing the overall results of company performance for 2006.

Baku, March 06, 2007

Azercell Telecom JV, the leading mobile service provider in Azerbaijan releasing the overall results of the financial, physical and social contribution performance of the company in 2006, which showed that last year had been a successful year for company. The annual press meeting held in Park Inn Hotel with the attendance General Manager of Azercell Telecom JV A. Halim Ates, who had been awarded as the Top Manager of the Year in 2006.

Halim Ates started his speech with the presentation of the market share of the company. Ates recorded that, today 76% of Azerbaijani mobile communication market belongs to Azercell and its network covers 77% territory of the country which means 99% population of Azerbaijan. Halim Ates said that, by the end of 2006 the number of Azercell subscribers reached up to 2,333,387. Halim Ates then emphasized the high technologic telecommunications infrastructure of the company giving information about network expansion.

Azercell investment and taxes also showed significant economic contribution to the country. Ates stated that during 2006 Azercell invested nearly 120 million AZN into development of telecommunication in Azerbaijan and approximately 460 million AZN during 10 years. Although the state budget significantly increased, Azercell payments were equal to nearly 2% of the total in 2006.

Mentioning the human aspect Halim Ates also highlighted the importance of Azercell employees. Ates said; “We know that our employees are the main assets of Azercell and vital for providing better services for our subscribers. We know that we are stronger together. Therefore in 2006 we invested approximately 550,000 AZN for employee development. To sustain the highest service quality, besides our current employees we care about our future family members, too. Therefore with our Career Days Program, we visited 10 universities in 2005 and 2006 and recruited 30 new graduates from these universities. Our career days approach; besides providing us with the human resources, also offers an enhanced career for the well educated youth of Azerbaijan”.

Halim Ates added that in 2006 Azercell Telecom JV has transferred in taxes nearly 60 million AZN to budget of the country and approximately 275 million AZN during 10 years. Following the investments and taxes figures Halim Ates informed about the significant steps taken to provide a wider range of tariffs, the campaigns and the achievements of the company and underlined that; year 2006, was a good year for Azercell subscribers to meet with innovative and better telecommunications services.

Halim Ates also reported the social contribution of Azercell and how important corporate social responsibility is for company. He mentioned that Azercell spend nearly 1.9 million AZN in 2006 and approximately 4.6 million AZN during 10 years of its activity on realizations of social projects.

General Manager Halim Ates summarized his speech quoting; “2006 has been a year that we have been proud of ourselves and showed us what we can do more for our subscribers and country. We proved our leadership again. 2006 was our tenth year and in 2007 as during 10 years of Azercell Telecom JV will make happy our subscribers with implementation of various new, interesting projects and providing high technological and innovative services”.

Notes to the editor:

Azercell Telecom JV established on January 19, 1996, the company started operating on a post-paid system by December 15th of the same year. Today Azercell Telecom is a joint venture of the Ministry of Communication and Information technologies of the Azerbaijan Republic (35,7%) and Fintur Holdings BV (64,3%). Fintur Holdings BV entered a joint venture with the companies TeliaSonera (58,55%) and Turkcell (41,45%).

In the end of 2006 Azercell had 2 Home Location Registers (HLR), 12 Base Stations Controller Systems (BSCS), 15 Mobile Services Switching Centers (MSSC) and 1,078 Radio Base Stations (RBS). In 2006 we installed 328 new RBS in Baku and Azerbaijani regions. We are planning initialization of over 350 RBS throughout the republic in 2007.

Last year there have been signed new roaming agreements with 50 foreign operators from 18 world countries and by the end of 2006 Azercell had roaming agreement with 310 operators in 135 countries. In addition, Azercell Telecom was the first to launch a MMS/GPRS roaming service in the mobile communication system of Azerbaijan. By the end of last year company had MMS/GPRS roaming agreements with 66 operators from 32 world countries.

Azercell Telecom JV provided humanitarian aids to the nearly 4000 refugees and internally displaced families located in the camps.

On the Day of Knowledge Azercell provided with school materials 5 boarding schools.

Azercell bought 400 modern wheelchairs in connection with International Day of Disabled People, we presented Six Points printing house, which has been operating in Azerbaijan Society of Blind People, with necessary printing equipment.

November 11, 2006, the exhibition of creator of the richest pages of Azerbaijani painting, People’s Artist Elbey Rzaguliyev, organized on through support of Azercell Telecom JV in Baku dedicated to his 80 years jubilee.

Overall results of company performance for 2006.