DUSHANBE, March 10, Asia-Plus – telecom.cnews.ru -- A rather unpleasant precedent for Russian mobile companies took place in Tajikistan recently, C.News (Russian IT-review) reported on March 9.

“MegaFon’s plans to rebrand its local daughter company met objections from Tajik Telecom, the Tajik state-owned national telecommunications operator, which is the company’s minority shareholder,” a report released by C.News said.

Tajik Telecom voted against the company TT-Mobile to be rebranded into MegaFon.  MegaFon who owns 75% of the TT-Mobile’s shares decided to rebrand the company in mid-March.

Tajikistan’s Deputy Transport and Communications Minister, Beg Zuhurov said that Tajik Telecom, assuming the 25% ownership interest in the company, had not been informed on MegaFon’s plans and had not taken part in any discussions on the matter.  

“The company cannot take decisions, which are not agreed on among all the shareholders”, he said.  “The ministry is against the rebranding”.  He added that the move might cost about $600,000.  And Tajik Telecom would have to allocate the quarter of the sum, which is absolutely unrealistic.

“Tajik Telecom couldn’t be just not informed about TT-Mobile rebranding”, Marina Belasheva, a spokeswoman for MegaFon said.  “The decision was taken by the company’s board of directors, including representatives from Tajik Telecom.”  She added that talks are currently underway with Tajik Telecom, and they hope to rebrand the company in due time.

The TT-Mobile operator was founded in 2001. MegaFon initially possessed the controlling share.  “Tajik Telecom was against the MegaFon brand in the republic, that is why the company worked under the Mobile Lines of Tajikistan”, said IKS Consulting Expert Margarita Zobnina.  “MegaFon has the overwhelming majority of voices in the company, and it can take the relevant decision on its own.  We should expect the rebranding in the nearest future.”

The “big three” has been widely using the work scheme with CIS partners. There have been no problems with any rebranding decisions so-far.  MTS conducted a rebranding in Belarus last year and introduced a new symbol of the company – an egg, although the controlling share belongs to the Belarusian government.

“Introduction of new brands is quite reasonable”, said VimpelCom’s representative Artyom Minayev. “People travel much within the CIS.  For instance, out of 6 million Tajik residents 1 million regularly travel to Russia to work.  It would be convenient for them to use the same brand.”

According to IKS consulting TT-Mobile currently provides services 16% out of 900 thousand Tajik customers.  It is the third largest operator in the country.