VimpelCom's Russian operating unit, Beeline brand has entered into a partnership to allow its clients unlimited and free access to WhatsApp messaging. This is the first partnership of this kind between a telecom company and WhatsApp in Russia.
According to WhatsApp, Russia, along with Brazil, Mexico and India, is among the top ten countries by the number of WhatsApp users. In Russia, the messenger is used by 30 million people on a monthly basis. With the arrangement, Beeline customers in Russia no longer have to pay for their WhatsApp data traffic.
Mikhail Slobodin, CEO of VimpelCom Russia
Messengers are the most popular way of communicating for smartphone owners in Russia, and we are proud that it is Beeline clients who can enjoy the service free of charge. Our partnership with WhatsApp is a significant move for our growing client base.
Jan Koum, CEO and co-founder of WhatsApp
Partnering with Beeline means we can help more people to stay in touch with friends and family using WhatsApp. Beeline and WhatsApp share the passion to provide the best communications experience, and introducing the unlimited access to WhatsApp messaging features shows Beeline as a pioneer in Russian mobile industry.