May 29, 2008

Corbina to Launch IPTV with Microsoft

VimpelCom and Microsoft Corp. today announced a strategic partnership to deliver new connected TV experiences to consumers in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (“CIS”) through Corbina TV, which will be powered by the award-winning Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) and multimedia software platform. Corbina TV will be operated by Corbina Telecom, a subsidiary of VimpelCom.

The agreement was officially concluded by Jean-Pierre Vandromme, Executive Vice-President of Network Resources Management of VimpelCom and CEO of Golden Telecom, and Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer of Microsoft, in a meeting on Friday May 23 in Moscow. Corbina TV will be the first Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV service in Russia and the CIS.

Based on the Microsoft Mediaroom software platform, Corbina TV will deliver connected and personalized TV services for consumers in Russia and the CIS, with advanced features, such as video on demand (VOD), digital video recording (DVR), instant channel changing, and fast search to quickly and easily look up shows using keywords.

Corbina TV will be delivered as part of a triple-play package to Corbina Telecom subscribers through purchase of a Motorola set-top box, where consumers can chose between one with 160 GB hard disk or one without a hard drive.

Subscribers will be able to watch live or on-demand TV in standard definition (SD) as well as high definition (HD) and enjoy a connected entertainment experience. The service is planned to launch mid-2008.

“I believe that this agreement will further strengthen our long-term partnership with Microsoft, providing our Company with a distinctive competitive advantage in one of the most promising high- growth broadband markets in the world,”Alexander Izosimov, CEO of VimpelCom, said.

“Corbina TV is poised to deliver a truly compelling, connected TV experience to its customers in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States,” Ballmer said. “For nearly 70 years, watching TV has meant adjusting your life to someone else’s broadcast schedule. With Microsoft Mediaroom, Corbina TV will give consumers complete control of what they watch and when they watch it.”

At launch the service will include more than 100 channels and provide access to over 1,000 films, cartoons and series available on demand.

“Corbina Telecom’s fiber-optical network is reaching almost every apartment building in Moscow and many other Russian cities and is known for its speed and reliability, providing its users outstanding Internet service. With the Microsoft Mediaroom solution, Corbina Telecom will also provide its users an outstanding TV service,”commented Dmitry Malov, Vice-President of Corbina Telecom.

Microsoft Mediaroom was selected to provide the service as it delivers an end-to-end IPTV platform. Microsoft Mediaroom enables managed delivery of Corbina TV including support for new features, content provision and platform development, establishing a strong foundation for the future of the service.

VimpleCom joins over 20 of the world’s leading telecommunications providers delivering advanced TV services with the Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV platform, including AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, BT, and Reliance Communications in India, 13 of which have launched commercial services in the last year. Microsoft Mediaroom is deployed in over 1 million subscriber homes worldwide.

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