MTS bought IT-Grad Cloud LLC, which holds all IT-Grad group’s cloud assets, through its Dutch subsidiary Vostok Mobile BV.
It is one of the largest cloud service providers in Russia. MTS paid a group of private investors RUB 2.491 billion (€32.412 million) for the assets, including net debt. IT-Grad Cloud LLC has been developing cloud-based solutions business since 2008.
The IT-Grad group of companies, provides services to corporate clients under its own brand, and to small and medium-sized enterprises under the 1cloud brand. IT-Grad relies on its own equipment located in TIER III data centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Almaty in Kazakhstan.
MTS provides cloud services under #CloudМТS brand through ten data centers, connected by its own backbone communication channels.
Strengthening presence
Valery Shorzhin,VP, Digital Business Solutions, MTS, commented, “MTS is rapidly strengthening its presence in Russian cloud services. The market is growing 30% annually and is one of the most promising IaaS [infrastructure as a service] segments. In addition to developing our own cloud platform and regularly launching innovative services, our continued expansion is supported by a series of strategic M&A deals.”
He added, “We have recently acquired Avantage [Avantazh], one of the largest data centers in Russia, and by acquiring IT-Grad 1 Cloud LLC, we have added one of the country’s leading cloud services providers to our portfolio. This transaction greatly improves MTS’s capability in the cloud market. Moreover, having our own data centers and data transmission channels will ensure cost optimisation through consolidation of equipment at our sites.
“The synergies achieved will increase the efficiency of #CloudMTS and allow us to offer our clients new and unique services.”