iLounge

Vimpelcom, one of three Russian carriers to recently announce agreements with Apple to sell the iPhone, will not subsidize the device when it goes on sales this year. “We are in principle considering no subsidies for the time being as Russian law does not allow locking mobile phones,” Vimpelcom CEO Alexander Izosimov said in an interview. Izosimov added that the company is eager to begin sales of the iPhone. “The earlier we start working with it, the better we will be prepared. It is not technologies that will change, but the business model,” Izosimov said. “Our research shows that when the iPhone falls into the hands of a customer, the use of data services increases by four to five times.”