Three-way agreement paves way for the nation's 250+ digital inclusion program

AMSTERDAM, Oct. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON) and (Euronext Amsterdam: VEON), a leading global provider of connectivity and internet services, announces that its operating company in Kazakhstan, KaR-Tel, which provides mobile services under the Beeline brand, has entered into a network sharing partnership that unites the nation's three mobile telecom providers in the delivery of high-speed internet to rural communities. 

The agreement brings Beeline together with Kcell and Tele2 in support of the nation's 250+ project, which aims to extend high-speed internet to all villages with a population of 250 or more. Once complete, the project will see almost 1,000 rural settlements with a combined population of 600,000 offered 3G and 4G connections by all three operators.

The 250+ initiative will enable rural residents to receive mobile services on competitive terms and select a service provider of their choice. In turn, each mobile operator will enjoy equal access to the shared network.

Kaan Terzioğlu, VEON's co-Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Beeline Kazakhstan, said: "The 250+ program demonstrates how cooperation between mobile operators can help bridge the digital divide across a nation's communities. It is VEON's privilege to play its role in this important initiative and, through Beeline, to invest in providing unprecedented network and services access for Kazakhstan's rural areas."

The 250+ project, the infrastructure deployment for which will start immediately, will transform the digital connectivity of rural communities and provide access to a range of new services. These will include distance learning, telemedicine, mobile financial services and access to a variety of government digital resources. Over time, the extension of high-speed internet into rural areas is expected to accelerate the economic development of the Kazakh countryside, driving e-commerce in the regions and facilitating the adoption of IoT (Internet of Things) technologies in agriculture. 

Disclaimer

This release contains "forward-looking statements", as the phrase is defined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and include statements relating to, among other things, the benefits of network sharing partnerships. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which VEON cannot predict with accuracy and some of which VEON might not even anticipate. The forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of the date of this release. VEON does not undertake to publicly update, except as required by U.S.

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SOURCE VEON Ltd