The first replacement of analog systems with digital ones will be implemented at the four Telephone Exchanges located in Schepkin Street, Moscow, seriously affected by the outbreak of fire in February 2003.

The new digital equipment launched, it is intended each office's current telephone numbering index be changed for as follows: Telephone Exchange 284 will be transferred to index 684, Telephone Exchange 281 - to index 681, Telephone Exchange 288 - to 688, and Telephone Exchange 971 will be switched over to index 631.

Forty Thousand (40 000) telephone analog numbers will be replaced with digital ones altogether. Likewise, almost simultaneously, PJSC MGTS will put 9 000 new numbers into operation in the Central and North-West Districts of Moscow.

"This is the first step to make towards the PJSC MGTS digitisation. We purport to replace the entire hardware, bring the Company to a qualitatively new technology level, and to resolve the consumers' telephone installation waiting list problem. The up-to-the-minute value added services will be accessible to the subscribers once interconnected to a digital exchange", Mr. Mikhail Smirnov, PJSC MGTS General Director, said.

Subscribers will be notified in writing of their switchover to the new digital telephone numbers two months prior to the start of the procedure. Five days before the proposed switching, the electronic announcing system will be giving the notice to subscribers by telephone. In addition to such notification, they will receive a message advertising the new services to be provided.