Voronezh, February 3, 2005. CenterTelecom held a working meeting dedicated to the telephone networks upgrade and the introduction of the modern information and communication systems in the country.

Deputy General Director and the director of the company's Voronezh branch Aleksandr Khaustovich, the representatives of the respective departments of the regional authorities, scientific research organizations as well as telecommunication equipment manufacturers' management participated in the meeting.

The vital issues of providing electrical communication services to the rural dwellers and the region's agribusiness enterprises, local governments and social sphere entities were discussed in the course of the meeting. In addition, the participants reviewed the issues of improving the rural telecommunication networks and information systems in Voronezh region.

Recommendations to carry out pilot projects in the rural areas of the region to search the most efficient solutions from the organizational and economic viewpoints of the infocom development were adopted at the meeting. The projects will be carried out taking into account the modern IT-based requirements, agribusiness management systems in three rural areas of the region different in terms of their social and economic development.

CenterTelecom is a leading fixed communications company providing the entire range of telecommunication services in the Central Federal District where over 20% of the population of Russia resides. CenterTelecom offers the full range of telecommunication services, including telephony service, the Internet, IP telephony, data communications, CATV, wired and VHF broadcasting. The company actively develops modern multiservice and SDH networks as well as new radio access systems. The Company trades on RTS (ESMO, ESMOP), Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange (CTEL, CTELP) and has ADR Level 1 common stock program (CRMUY).