News, Russia, mobile:  A leading Russian telecoms investment advisor, Altimo has developed the first Mobile Development Index (MDI) which aims to evaluate the investment opportunities represented in over fifty international markets.

The index has been prepared in collaboration with Professor Alexey Goriaev of the Russian School of Economics in Moscow, and Professors Chris Higson of the London Business School and Sean Holly of Cambridge University.

The data covers the period from 2002-2006 and has enabled Altimo to generate a composite index covering 52 markets within 11 identified regions. The lowest value country, measured in terms of investment return opportunity is Tanzania, at 0.16. The index highlights the following trends within the global mobile communications market:

• The most lucrative and attractive emerging markets are situated in Southern and South-Eastern Asia.

• Penetration levels in Western Europe have effectively reached saturation levels, with EBITDAs declining, but there remains development upside in the US and Canada.

• Relatively modest opportunities exist in CEE due to the high penetration levels already achieved. Meanwhile, larger CIS markets remain attractive.

• In terms of the MDI, Sub-Saharan Africa offers a significantly less attractive investment environment amongst emerging markets due to low per capita GDP prospects.

• South Eastern and Eastern Asia offer the highest levels of investment attractiveness, and account for four of the six best markets in terms of opportunity (Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, and Philippines) despite generally low income and high income inequality. They are buoyed up by high projected per capita GDP growth and significant current capital expenditure.

Alexey Reznikovich, Chief Executive of Altimo, said "We will continue to build on this initiative, which highlights the continuing investment opportunities available to Altimo and other emerging markets focused telecoms investment groups. We have benefited already from a near doubling of our assets under management over the last 18 months to some $20 billion as a result of earlier investment decisions made by our team. There are tremendous opportunities to come, particularly in South East Asia, as this report highlights."

more info: www.altimo.org