OREANDA-NEWS. Mobile TeleSystems OJSC (“MTS” or “the Company” - NYSE: MBT), the leading telecommunications provider in Russia and the CIS, today announced that its brand has been included in the BrandZ™ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2014 ranking for the seventh consecutive year. The valuation study was conducted by Millward Brown Optimor, experts in the economics of branding and financial valuations, and shows that MTS increased its brand value by 14.5% to reach USD 12.18 billion this past year.

MTS is the only Russian telecommunications brand included in the BrandZ™ 2014 ranking and placed ninth among the Top 10 leading telecommunications brands in the world. MTS increased its position by 2 places relative to last year and now ranks #80 overall among the top 100 global brands.

“MTS outperformed average indicators of telecommunications companies in the rankings as the growth rate for its brand exceeded the average by 11 times. This convincing growth is a result of the Company's brand development not only in the telecom sector, where MTS is a leader in voice, mobile Internet, pay-tv and broadband, but also in other sectors. MTS has become an active player in the financial service market and strengthened its mobile retail network. MTS's extension to complementary lines of business beyond the telecommunications sector and expansion of services has had a positive impact on its brand value growth,” remarked the Vice President of Millward Brown Optimor for the Eurasia region, Anastasia Kurovskaya.

“MTS develops unique products and services designed to popularize innovative digital technologies for everyday life. As the leader in mobile Internet access through the sale of budget-friendly smartphones, MTS has created opportunities for millions of people to access work, entertainment, commerce and even philanthropy through its high-speed networks,” commented Vasyl Latsanych, Vice President of Marketing, for MTS. "This brings significant benefits to the company. In FY2013, MTS demonstrated record revenue growth of 49% year-over-year in mobile Internet services, while strengthening its leadership in the communication sector and related segments.”

In 2008, MTS was the first Russian company to enter the BrandZ™ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands ranking with an initial brand value estimated at USD 8.1 billion. MTS remains only one of two Russia-based brands to be included in the BrandZ™ Top 100.

BrandZ™ calculates a brand's strength by measuring the emotional loyalty it creates and is the only brand valuation methodology that uses as part of the valuation process consumer data which now covers two million plus consumers and more than 50,000 brands in over 30 countries.