Russian mobile goes global

Altimo, the telecoms investment holding company for Vimpelcom, Megafon and other mobile assets of Russia's Alfa group, has appointed sir Julian Horn-Smith, one time Vodafone deputy CEO, to head a new international advisory board, although it is not announced on the website just yet
Altimo/Alfa's ambitions have been brewing all year When we met Alexey Reznikovich, Altimo CEO, in January, he said Altimo was looking "to put all its investments into one telecoms holding company which would own the majorit of invetsments. We would join efforts with a major operating company in an international strategic partnership." Seems that time has arrived. It has not escaped notice that there are one or two prime opportunities for big mobile, even today. For one, several analysts' reports suggest there's room for a new big entrant to the US market as the summer spectrum auctions open up a new market front.