January 26, 2010, Moscow. COMSTAR – United TeleSystems (COMSTAR-UTS, LSE: CMST), the leading supplier of integrated telecommunication solutions in Russia and the CIS, has entered the register of operators processing personal data.

According to the Law “On personal data”, information systems with personal data created before January 1, 2010, shall be made compliant with the law on or before January 1, 2011. The Federal Law “On personal data” (FZ-152 dated July 27, 2006) is aimed at classification and legislative protection of population’s personal data. The register of personal data operators is kept by the authorized agency for protection of rights of personal data subjects – Federal Service for Supervision in Communication, Information Technologies and Mass Communication (Rossvyazkomnadzor).

“COMSTAR-UTS is a law-abiding and progressive company. We are always very attentive to all legislative and regulatory initiatives related to company activity and industry as a whole. Last year, COMSTAR-UTS set upon elaboration of a detailed plan for reorganization of company business processes in compliance with requirements of the Federal Law “On personal data”. The majority of plan items are being successfully implemented right now,” Arseniy Brykin, Government Relations Director of COMSTAR-UTS, says. “We are happy to see that business representatives and public authorities are ready to coordinate their efforts towards systematization of personal data handling activities, which allows coming to an accommodation in all the matters and considering interests of all stakeholders.”

COMSTAR-UTS has elaborated the information security policy, organized the information security committee, set up the personal data protection task force and implemented a complex of organizational and technical measures aimed at systematized integration of requirements of the Federal Law “On personal data” into operator’s business processes.

“Personnel arrangements of COMSTAR-UTS now include a special department in charge of personal data processing. We have managed to obtain good results in systematization of information processing activities. We monitor all changes to requirements made by regulating authorities and in case of any issues, we promptly settle them with support of the relevant agencies: Federal Security Service, Roskomnadzor and Federal Agency for Technical and Export Control,” Sergey Bugrimov, Corporate Security Director of COMSTAR-UTS, says.

According to the data entered into the register, COMSTAR-UTS processes personal data in order to provide communication services, make settlements with subscribers, create the information and reference system to provide subscribers with required information, create phone books, etc.

MGTS, COMSTAR-UTS affiliate, is also a registered personal data processing operator. The company pays much attention to bringing all systems in balance with law requirements. All activities in this direction are performed in compliance with the plan approved by COMSTAR-UTS in 2009.