Moscow, November 19, 2004. The introduction of an automated billing system on the basis of Amdocs software in CenterTelecom was recognized a priority in the company’s operations. A corresponding resolution was passed at the company’s Board of Directors meeting today.

Amdocs Billing Suite software was selected on the basis of a tender among 20 Russian and foreign billing system developers. The selection commission made of the representatives of all companies of Svyazinvest holding has spent over a year and a half to choose the supplier with sufficient experience and resources to carry out such a project as well as offer the optimal solution.

The introduction of a uniform billing system allows providing a uniform technology to provide communication services, which, in turn, will increase the transparency of accounts clearance between the operators and decrease traffic loss. In addition, the operators will be able to use a uniform rate structure and introduce new services everywhere in Russia.

The introduction of the billing system will allow CenterTelecom to:

• Increase the transparency of the key customer service operations and significantly increase the income;
• Minimize the probability of billing errors through the use of high quality proven software;
• Quickly bring to market and provide quality support of the new communication services in the Central Federal District;
• Create a uniform client base allowing to provide uniform service to corporate clients with a well-developed regional network;
• Increase the competitive power through granting customers a much wider range of services than now;
• Start using a uniform technical policy for entire Svyazinvest holding;
• Speed up the launch of a uniform enterprise management system and simultaneously decrease associated costs and provide several other advantages.

Automated Billing System is bundled software which allows to provide billing (i.e. collect and process data about communication services provided) and to fully automate the operation of subscriber departments, control payments and form accounts.

Amdocs (NYSE: DOX) is the world leading software and integrated customer services provider aiding the world service companies to build strong and more profitable relations with the clients. The portfolio of Amdocs solutions covers the entire life cycle of service companies’ customers and assists these companies in linking together all business processes: marketing and analytics, sales and orders, orders delivery and performance, billing and payment, service and support. Over 20 years of Amdocs presence in the market the company assisted enterprises operating in different fields to quickly attain good performance indicators. Amdocs currently employs about 10 thousand employees in 22 countries of the world and has customers in more than 40 countries.

IBM is a major corporation operating in the field of information technologies: it has been the leader in the development and introduction of innovational business solutions for over 90 years. IBM Business Consulting Service with a staff of advisers and specialists in over 160 countries is one of the world's largest advisory services. IBM Business Consulting Services offers clients its business processes experience, organization structure optimization, various branches and applies this experience in the integrated business solutions aimed at increasing the company’s general operational efficiency as required.

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).