DUSHANBE, January 4, Asia-Plus - In order to enter an international level MLT/TT Mobile, a closed joint-stock company and one of Tajikistan’s largest cellular operators, plans to change its brand’s logo and image.   

The MLT/TT Mobile director general Gulmahmad Qayumov said in an interview with Asia-Plus that founders of the company – the Russian cellular operator MegaFon and Tajikistan’s national fixed-line operator, Tajik Telecom – had discussed the issue of the repositioning of the brand for several years.  

Rebranding is necessary because MegaFon owns 75 percent of the shares.  It is not clear yet whther the company will operate under the ‘MegaFon’ brand or it will have another one.  “This issue will prbably be solved at a meeting of the MegaFon direcotrs’ board that will be held in Moscow in late January,” Qayumov said.  

In the meantime, according to MegaFon, they plan to take more active part in management of MLT/TT Mobile through investing in its development and drawing together the companies’ priorities.  

MLT/TT Mobile was established on September 3, 2001.  Since October 5 2001, when the company was registered under the brand of MLT (Mobile Lines of Tajikistan), it has provided cellular communications services in the GSM standard.  The company covers all four provinces of Tajikistan, operating in 40 cities and districts.  Last summer, MLT/TT-Mobile registered its 100,000th client. 

MLT/TT Mobile is a joint venture between the Russian cellular operator MegaFon and Tajikistan’s national fixed-line operator, Tajik Telecom. MegaFon owns 75 percent of the shares and Tajik Telecom holds a 25 percent interest in MLT/TT-Mobile. 

MegaFon, an open joint stock company, was founded in May 2002  with the renaming and reorganization of the Russian cellular operator North-West GSM. 

In 2005, MLT/TT Mobile was the first cellular operator in Tajikistan to offer its clients the 3G standard.