Photo: 24.kg
Kyrgyzstan’s state-owned Eldik Bank has acquired 100 percent of Sky Mobile, which operates under the Beeline Kyrgyzstan brand, the presidential press service announced on August 13.
According to the statement, the purchase of this strategic telecommunications asset is part of state policy aimed at developing digital infrastructure, modernizing the economy, and strengthening national interests.
The shares in Sky Mobile were previously owned by the international holding company VEON Ltd. and Crowell Investments Ltd., an investment firm within Kazakhstan’s Verny Capital group. The purchase price was not disclosed. Eldik Bank emphasized that Beeline Kyrgyzstan will continue operating under its current brand, retaining its team, operating model, and existing customer base.
Beeline Kyrgyzstan is one of the country’s largest mobile operators. It began operating in 2006 under the Bitel brand, switching to the international Beeline brand in 2009. In 2010, the company became part of VEON Ltd.
Beeline is now the second major mobile operator in Kyrgyzstan to come under state control. In 2023, the State Development Bank, whose sole founder is the Ministry of Finance, purchased Alfa Telecom (trading as MEGA) for 14.8 billion soms (about $169 million).
