As of October 1, 2002 OJSC Uraltelecom, Sverdlovsk Region is to cease its activity as an independent legal entity and will be vested with the status of the Ural region's major telecommunications operator.   

Work aimed at creating a merger of telecom operators in the Urals and Western Siberia got under way back in 2000.  The mega-regional merger involves unifying the following six telecom companies: 

OJSC Uraltelecom Sverdlovsk Region;

OJSC Svyazinform Chelyabinsk Region;

OJSC Tyumentelecom

OJSC Khantymansiiskokrtelecom;

OJSC Yamalelektrosvyaz;

OJSC Elektrosvyaz Kurgan Region 

The mega-merger will lay the foundation for solid growth of the telecommunications business in the Urals Region.  OJSC Uralsvyazinform is a powerful telecom concern of nationwide scale.  The company's top priority objectives include improving the quality and expanding the range of telecom solutions provided, as well as lowering the cost of telecom services by optimizing Uralsvyazinform's cost side.  Other major tasks facing the company include upgrading its telephone network, building advanced digital telephone exchanges, building optic access networks, expanding cable television services and multimedia options.  

OJSC Svyazinvest intends to complete its nationwide mega-regional merger process by the end of 2002, which will involve seven federal districts: Central, North-Western, Volga, Southern, Urals, Siberia, Far Eastern.