Projector mobile phones

United Kingdom – The Russian Federation, which is the biggest wireless telecom market in Europe, will have 188.5 million subscribers by 2010, according to a research by Wireless Federation.

The country's “big three” mobile phone service providers—Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), VimpelCom and MegaFon—are expected to share 33 percent, 30 percent and 21 percent of the market, respectively.

In two years, the mobile phone market penetration rate is also expected to increase by 6.3 percent from 2008 to 134.6 percent. Average revenue per user (ARPU) will likewise rise to $13.75 from this year's $10.85, says the report. VimpelCom is forecast to gain the highest ARPU of $15.05 per month by 2010.

Other mobile network operators are also aspiring to get a piece of Russia’s promising market. Tele2 AB, a major telecom operator in Europe, for instance, intends to provide cellular services in Moscow as soon as it is granted a license.

The Russian mobile phone market remains open to plans of privatizing Svyazinvest telecommunication investment joint stock company, which has more than 90 percent of the country's total network capacity.