Daily monitor

According to the information from IKS-Consulting, the number of broadband users (BB) increased by 11% to 1.7 mln. in 1Q09. Broadband household penetration rose by 3.5% to 8.5%. Revenue from the BB internet segment increased by 3%YoY to USD 71 mln.

According to the press service of Sumy Frunze Machine Building [SMASH UZ, N/R] – one of Europe’s largest producers of equipment for the oil, gas, and chemical industries – the company will complete the delivery compressors to Gazrprom by the end of June 2009.

According to an announcement from the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, direct foreign debt has fallen 0.2% or USD 18.7 mln and has reached USD 10.85 bln.

According to a press release, Kharkiv-based OJSC Turboatom [TATM UZ, HOLD] – the largest turbine manufacturer in Ukraine – has completed delivery of power equipment to “Naglu’ Hydro Power Plant (HPP) in Afghanistan. The value of this order is USD 3.4 mln.

According to a number of sources Ukrgazbank, Rodovid Bank and Kiev Bank will be the first targets of Ukraine’s bank recapitalization program.

National Energy Regulatory Commission (NERC) expects the first electricity export auction in July, NERC head Valery Kalchenko told journalists yesterday. The auction will be for access to the export capacities of Burshtyn Energy Island, which is integrated into UCTE. The auction will be held by the state owned transmission grid operator “Ukrenergo” once a month for a period of up to one year.

Kyiv Metro released an announcement regarding a request to the Kyiv City Council to approve a leasing deal for 100 metro cars. The deal’s value is estimated at UAH 800 mln (USD 104 mln). A down payment equal to 15%, or UAH 120 mln, will be made in 2009 and other leasing payments will occur over 2010-2014.

According to an Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine press release, four mobile operators (MTS, Kyivstar, URS, Astelit), two fixed line providers (Golden Telecom and Ukrtelecom [UTLM UZ, U/R]) and two CDMA players (Inter Telecom and Ukrainian Telesystems) were indentified as monopolists on the interconnect market.

According to an Uktelecom [UTLM UZ, U/R] press release, the company increased its monthly base tariff for fixed line services by 15-20% for urban and by 10% for rural customers. The new tariff includes 200 free minutes per month as before. The price per minute in excess of the 200 minutes in the base package remains unchanged.

According to an EBRD statement, the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development intends to invest up to EUR 20 mln into Megabank’s equity and long-term senior loan. The purpose of this investment is “to support bank’s capital and liquidity positions”.