MTS to provide TV services to third-party operators

Russian service provider MTS plans to enter the business-to-business market for TV services and develop packages it can provide to other network operators. The operator is also launching its broadband and digital TV service in 10 new cities in the Russian Far East, Siberia and the Urals region.

Dmitry Bagdasaryan, director of fixed-line business at MTS, said that the company’s expertise in TV would allow it to enter the business-to-business market and deliver services to third-party providers. The company has already developed TV packages for network operators in the Russian regions and other CIS countries including Armenia, Belarus and Ukraine.

Speaking at the CSTB 2013 event in Moscow, Bagdasaryan said MTS would target small and medium-sized operators. One likely candidate for a partnership is Belarusian state telco Beltelecom, which provides the Zala TV IPTV service.