Moscow, Russia – March 25, 2013– Rostelecom OJSC (the “Group”) (MICEX - RTS: RTKM, RTKMP; OTCQX: ROSYY), Russia’s national telecommunications operator, announces that the Group has launched 3G+ networks in seven regions of the Volga Federal District: in Samara Oblast, Orenburg Oblast, Saratov Oblast, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Ulyanovsk Oblast, Penza Oblast and the Republic of Tatarstan.

Rostelecom subscribers will be able to make use of mobile access to the internet at new data transfer speeds of up to 21 MB/s. The 3G+ network was installed using HSPA+ technology which provides the potential to increase transmission speeds from 21MB/s to 42MB/s.

Once fully rolled-out, Rostelecom mobile subscribers will be able to use their smartphones and tablets to access innovative services such as mobile television, broadband internet and video and audio streaming. This new level of user experience is made possible by Rostelecom’s high mobile data transfer speeds and user access to a large number of additional internet services and software.

‘The wide-scale launch of 3G+ networks signals the beginning of a new stage of development for Rostelecom’s mobile internet service,’ noted Dmitry Proskura, Vice-President and Head of Rostelecom’s Volga macro-regional branch. ‘The realization of this 3G+ launch in seven regions of the Volga Federal District greatly enhances users’ ability to browse the internet, use mobile maps and GPS, engage in social networking and exchange large data files, while also giving the go-ahead to similar development projects in other areas across Russia.’

Rostelecom and its subsidiaries, NCC CJSC, BWC CJSC, ETK CJSC, Sky Link CJSC, Volgograd-GSM CJSC, AKOS CJSC and Wireless Information Technologies LLC, provide mobile services in 59 Russian regions to over 13.5 million subscribers. Rostelecom is constructing 3G mobile networks in 27 Russian regions with launches having already taken place in Irkutsk Oblast and Primorsky Krai. In total, the company is planning to establish 8,000 base stations. Ericsson and Huawei are providing technical equipment and solutions for the project.