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Beeline (brand)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Beeline/Билайн
Product typeMobile telephony, mobile phones retailing, international telephony, broadband Internet, IPTV, city-wide Wi-Fi, domain name registrar and others
OwnerPJSC VimpelCom/Veon
CountryRussia
Introduced1993; 32 years ago (1993)
Related brandsBee+, Golden Telecom, Corbina
MarketsRussia, CIS, Eurasia
Tagline"30 years on your side" (2022–2023)
"On your side"
Websitebeeline.ru

Beeline (Russian: Билайн), formerly Bee Line GSM (Russian: Би Лайн GSM), is a telecommunications brand by company PJSC VimpelCom, founded in Russia.

PJSC VimpelCom is Russia's third-largest wireless[1] and second-largest telecommunications operator.[2][3] Its headquarters are located in Moscow.[4] Since 2009, PJSC VimpelCom has been a subsidiary of the Amsterdam based VimpelCom Ltd, which became VEON in 2017. VimpelCom's main competitors in Russia are Mobile TeleSystems, MegaFon and T2.[5]

The commercial service was launched under the Beeline brand, a brand developed by Fabela in late 1993 to differentiate the company as a youthful and fun company, rather than a technical company. The name comes from the English term "beeline", meaning the most direct way between two points.

VimpelCom relaunched Beeline with the current characteristic black-and-yellow striped circle in 2005 with a campaign to associate the brand with the principles of brightness, friendliness, effectiveness, simplicity, and positive emotions; with a new slogan "Живи на яркой стороне" (Live on the vibrant side). The rebranding campaign was hugely successful and the principles associated with the brand "captured hearts and minds", in the words of the company.[6]

History in Russia

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Dmitry Zimin, the founder and honorary president
Branded street retail
A Beeline shop in Moscow

OJSC VimpelCom was founded in 1992 and initially operated AMPS/D-AMPS network in the Moscow area. In 1996 it became an Extel GSM, the first Russian company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: VIP).[7][8]

In November 2005, OJSC VimpelCom stepped further with foreign acquisitions by acquiring 100% of Ukrainian RadioSystems, a marginal Ukrainian GSM operator operating under the Wellcom and Mobi brands. The deal has been surrounded by a controversy involving two major shareholders of VimpelCom: the Russian Alfa Group and Telenor, the incumbent Norwegian telecommunications company.[9]

By July 2008, the company's license portfolio covered a territory where 97% of Russia's population resides, as well as 100% of the territory of Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia and Armenia.[10] VimpelCom also has a 49.9% stake in Euroset, the largest mobile retailer in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).[11] In May 2010, VimpelCom merged with Kyivstar to form VimpelCom Ltd., the largest telecom operator group in the CIS. Alexander Izosimov, CEO of OJSC VimpelCom, was appointed president.

On 9 October 2023, VEON sold Beeline and completed its exit from Russia.[12]

In August 2024, Beeline abandoned the 3G frequency range in Moscow, the first Russian mobile operator to complete a project to redistribute its own frequency bands from 3G to 4G. On 13 December 2024, Beeline abandoned the 3G frequency range in Saint Petersburg and the Leningrad Oblast.

Outside Russia

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Armenia

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Main article: Telecom Armenia

On 16 November 2006, PJSC VimpelCom acquired the 90% share of Armentel CJSC (renamed to VEON Armenia in 2017), held by the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization SA (OTE) for €341.9 million.

In 2020, Team CJSC, founded by Armenian businessmen Hayk and Alexander Yesayan, acquired 100% of the shares of "VEON Armenia" and started offering services under the name "Team".[13]

Australia

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In November 2018, it was observed that Beeline owned a range of 1000 numbers with the +61 country code, from +61497906000 to +61497906999. Unfortunately, numbers in this range have been used for a technical support scam, posing as a Windows Help Desk in cold calls to Australian and New Zealand numbers.[14]

Georgia

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The first mobile call with VEON Georgia (brand Beeline) was initiated on 15 March 2007. From this time onward, the company has been actively developing and as of today, it provides 1.3 million customers with 2G GSM 900/1800MHz, 3G 2100 MHz, 4G 800/1800 MHz and 5G wireless services under the name "Cellfie".[15] Beeline was later bought out by a Georgian businessman[16][17] and is no longer owned by Vimpelcom or VEON, being later rebranded to "Cellfie".[18]

Kazakhstan

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In 2004, PJSC VimpelCom, in its first move outside Russia's territory, acquired Kazakhstani cellular operator KaR-Tel (brand names K-Mobile and Excess).[19]

Kyrgyzstan

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Beeline is active in Kyrgyzstan and it is one of the most popular cellular carriers in the country.[20] The first call on GSM network of Kyrgyzstan was made on 1 August 1998. In 2001, the trade name MobiCard was established that turned into the brand Mobi in 2007. In 2009, the company started to provide services under international brand Beeline. As of 2022, the company provides services in standards of GSM-900/1800 and WCDMA/UMTS 2100/900 (3G) and LTE 800/1800/2100/2600 (4G).

Laos

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In 2011, Beeline entered Laos as VimpelCom Lao, replacing former Tigo. 22% shareholding remains with the Lao government. 3G HSPA+ services began in January 2012. Numbers on Beeline Laos are 020-7xxx-xxxx. Beeline Laos 4G LTE is expected to be launched soon. Now it is on a trial period.[21]

Ukraine

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Main article: Kyivstar

Beeline Ukraine (known as Ukrainian RadioSystems (URS) before February 2007) was a mobile operator in Ukraine with 2.22 million GSM subscribers (February 2007). The company operated under Beeline brand. In 2010 Beeline merged with Kyivstar. Now all Beeline Ukraine subscribers became Kyivstar subscribers.

The company was founded in 1995, and Motorola acquired 49% of the company in 1996. URS obtained a GSM-900 license in 1997, but Motorola backed off the venture the same year due to an alleged government favoritism to another mobile operator. The Korean Daewoo picked up the ownership, altough it didn't do much to grow the business, and eventually sold it to a Ukrainian financial group in 2003. In November 2005, 100% of the company's ownership was acquired by the Russian VimpelCom for $230 million. The deal was surrounded by a controversy involving two major shareholders of VimpelCom: the Russian Alfa Group and Telenor, a Norwegian telecom conglomerate.[9]

Following the acquisition by VimpelCom, all of the company's services have been rebranded as Beeline, similar to a VimpelCom's major mobile assets in Russia. In 2010 Beeline Ukraine (URS) was merged with Kyivstar. Now the company operates only under Kyivstar brand.

Uzbekistan

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Beeline is active in Uzbekistan and it is one of the most popular cellular carriers in Uzbekistan.[22][23]

Vietnam

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In July 2009, VimpelCom cooperated with a Vietnamese telecommunication company, GTel Telecommunications, to open a new mobile phone network in Vietnam called Beeline Vietnam. However, in 2012, after three years of business losses, Beeline withdrew from the joint venture and the Vietnamese market in general. Gtel Mobile continues to exploit the remaining base in Vietnam with a new brand, Gmobile.[24]

References

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  1. ^ "Ъ-Газета - "МегаФон" больше не третий". 25 May 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  2. ^ "Интернет-издание о высоких технологиях". Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Ъ - "Большая тройка" отчиталась". 13 March 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  4. ^ "VimpelCom - Contacts". Archived from the original on 2008-07-02. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  5. ^ "Svyazinvest Puts Cell Assets Up for Sale". Kommersant. 2007-06-25. Archived from the original on 2011-06-06. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  6. ^ "Brands". VimpelCom. Archived from the original on 2012-07-25. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  7. ^ "NYSE Euronext Timeline". Archived from the original on 2015-05-08. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  8. ^ Kramer, Andrew E. "Vimpelcom". The New York Times.
  9. ^ a b Bjorndal, Bente (2005-05-24). "Telenor to Fight New Alfa Group Lawsuit over Ukraine's WellCom". Forbes. Retrieved 2008-07-03.[dead link‍]
  10. ^ "VimpelCom - Geography". Archived from the original on 2008-07-02. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  11. ^ "VimpelCom". Archived from the original on 7 February 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  12. ^ "Холдинг VEON продал «Билайн» и завершил выход из России".
  13. ^ "New colors and new services: Team Telecom Armenia completes rebranding".
  14. ^ "WhoseNumber.info". Retrieved 2018-12-11.
  15. ^ "About Company".
  16. ^ "Beeline To Become Majority Shareholder Of Beeline". bm.ge. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  17. ^ "Khvicha Makatsaria Buys 100% of the Company Beeline". CBW. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  18. ^ "About Company". cellfie.ge. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  19. ^ "Vimpelcom - History - 2004". Retrieved 2008-07-03.[permanent dead link‍]
  20. ^ "О нас - Бишкек и Чуйская область". beeline.kg. Archived from the original on 2018-10-23. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  21. ^ "Lao Telecom 4G LTE internet in service in 2014?". Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  22. ^ "Beeline - O'zbekiston uyali aloqa operatorining rasmiy sayti". beeline.uz. Retrieved 2022-08-26.
  23. ^ "Beeline Uzbekistan". halberdbastion.com. Retrieved 2022-08-26.
  24. ^ "Gmobile replaces Beeline, targets Mekong". Saigon Times. 19 September 2012. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
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