Three Foreign Companies Enter Final Stage of Mobiuz Mobile Operator Privatization

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Three foreign companies have been admitted to the final stage of the privatization of the mobile operator Universal Mobile Systems (Mobiuz), the press service of the Agency for Management of State Assets (AMSA) reported.

At the first stage, ten foreign investors submitted non-binding offers (NBOs). Following a review of these proposals and based on the recommendations of advisors Rothschild & Co and KPMG, seven candidates were admitted to the final stage, which involved submitting binding offers (BOs).

The final stage provided participants with access to a virtual data room containing analytical reports on Mobiuz’s financial, tax, and legal operations. Investors also had the opportunity to visit the company, meet its management, and discuss relevant questions. In addition, they signed an agreement outlining the key terms for acquiring and operating the company.

By December 19, six companies had submitted binding price proposals. Based on the analysis of these offers and international experience, three candidates were identified as having submitted the highest prices and the most competitive terms on key deal parameters. They have been granted additional time until 23:59 on January 23, 2026, to improve their bids.

Public bidding for 100 percent of Mobiuz began in June. In the first stage, advisors received expressions of interest from 15 investors, including companies from the United States, Europe, the Middle East, the South Caucasus, and East and Central Asia.

Universal Mobile Systems provides mobile and internet services under the Mobiuz brand using GSM, UMTS, and 4G LTE standards. The company’s net revenue in 2024 reached 2.086 trillion soums, with 7.8 million subscribers.

The operator was originally established under an agreement between Uzbekistan and MTS. In 2016, the Russian operator sold its stake. In 2018, Mobiuz became owned by the state fund “Digital Trust,” which was later liquidated in 2021, transferring ownership to the Ministry of Information and Communications. The company’s privatization was included in President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s program in spring 2022, and a new decree on the sale of state assets, including Mobiuz, was signed in April 2025.

According to Bloomberg, Uzbekistan expects to earn around 300 million US dollars from the sale. Interested investors reportedly include representatives from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, and Europe.