The purchase by Turkish telecommunications company Turkcell of a 44.96% stake in Euroasia Telecommunications Holding B.V. (the Netherlands), which owns 100% of Astelit LLC, the Ukrainian life:) mobile operator, owned by Ukrainian holding SCM, will strengthen competition in the mobile communications market, Executive Director of the Center for Economic Strategies Hlib Vyshlinsky has said.

"I think if the transaction is successfully completed, competition will intensify in the mobile communications market. Astelit will take a more active stance and become more aggressive, and the purchase of 3Mob (also part of SCM holding) will allow to strengthen position in the market of mobile Internet and access by non-voice devices (tablets PCs and modems)," he told Interfax-Ukraine.

According to the expert, this transaction will allow Astelit to approach its market share to the two largest operators - Kyivstar and MTS Ukraine – and compete with them in full.

To achieve this, according to the expert, Turkcell should perform active investment, as well as lobby MNP service and, first of all, reduce interconnect rates.

Last week, Turkcell announced the start of negotiations with SCM to purchase its shares in Astelit. Currently Astelit LLC is 100% owned by Euroasia, 55.04% of which belongs to Turkcell, 44.96% - Ukraine's largest financial-industrial group System Capital Management (SCM) of businessman Rinat Akhmetov.