UPDATE: VEON says VimpelCom has no plans to sell towers yet

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BRUSSELS, Feb 7 (PRIME) -- Russian mobile operator VimpelCom, working under the Beeline brand and fully owned by Amsterdam-based VEON, does not have plans to sell its tower infrastructure, Kjell Morten Johnsen, who is in charge of VEON’s business in Russia and Italy, said on Wednesday.

VEON studied options of sale of some infrastructure in different countries and decided that it would be wrong for the Russian market, at least at present, Johnsen said.

If it makes sense, the company can sell towers next year or later, the executive said.

Johnsen said separately that VEON does not set the goal of regaining the position of Russia’s second biggest mobile operator, currently held by MegaFon, for VimpelCom’s new CEO Vasil Latsanich. Before joining VimpelCom, Latsanich was a vice president for strategy and marketing at the country’s number one operator, MTS.

Latsanich has broad experience in this business, Johnsen said, adding that he expects the new CEO to stick to VimpelCom’s strategy.

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