MOSCOW, July 18 (RIA Novosti) - North-West Telecom [RTS: SPTL] said Tuesday it expected its earnings, calculated to International Financial Reporting Standards, to fall 7% year-on-year in 2006 to 19.1 billion rubles (about $707 million).
In 2005, North-West Telecom, the largest communications provider in Russia's Northwestern Federal District, reported IFRS earnings of 20.54 billion rubles (about $761 million).
North-West Telecom, which is integrated into the state-controlled Svyazinvest telecoms holding, also said its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) were expected to rise 14% year-on-year in 2006 to 6.4 billion rubles (about $237 million).