VEON (Nasdaq: VEON) Group CEO Kaan Terzioglu met Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during the 38th Foreign Investors Council, reaffirming support for the national Digital Qazaqstan Strategy.
VEON highlighted progress on a hybrid Direct to Cell solution targeting 100% country coverage, with availability for citizens planned in August 2026. Beeline Kazakhstan is building a Tier III Hyper Cloud data center in Almaty, aimed to go live by end-2026, and has completed Central Asia’s first field test of Starlink Direct to Cell voice and SMS, with a commercial rollout beginning with messaging later in 2026.
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News Market Reaction – VEON
-0.59%
-0.59%Session close to close
In the Jul 2 session, VEON declined 0.59%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.
The announcement underscores VEON’s deepening role in Kazakhstan’s digital infrastructure, including...
Analysis
The announcement underscores VEON’s deepening role in Kazakhstan’s digital infrastructure, including nationwide hybrid connectivity and new data-center capacity. Investors may weigh this against recent liability-management progress and low short positioning when assessing long-term risk–reward.
Key Figures
FIC plenary session:38thNational coverage target:100% coverageService availability date:August 2026+3 more
6 metrics
FIC plenary session38thForeign Investors Council meeting attended by VEON CEO
National coverage target100% coverageDirect to Cell hybrid terrestrial–satellite solution in Kazakhstan
Service availability dateAugust 2026Planned availability of Direct to Cell service to Kazakhstani citizens
Data center startDecember 2025Beeline Kazakhstan began constructing Tier III Hyper Cloud data center
Data center go-live targetend of 2026Tier III Hyper Cloud facility expected to be operational
Data center tierTier IIIHyper Cloud data center classification in Almaty
Launch of satellite-ready apps for Kyivstar users via Starlink Mobile in outages.
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Pattern Detected
Recent digital and infrastructure announcements have generally drawn modestly positive price reactions, with one Uzbekistan-focused partnership headline bucking the trend.
Key Terms
direct to cell, tier iii, sovereign cloud, ai compute ecosystem
4 terms
direct to celltechnical
"highlighted progress toward the launch of Direct to Cell technology in Kazakhstan"
Direct-to-cell is a therapeutic delivery approach that puts a drug, gene therapy, or other active payload directly into the target cells instead of relying on broad distribution through the bloodstream or whole organs. For investors, it matters because this targeted delivery can boost effectiveness and reduce side effects—like delivering a package to a specific apartment instead of leaving it in the building lobby—potentially improving clinical outcomes, commercial appeal and regulatory risk, while often requiring specialized technology.
tier iiitechnical
"began construction of a Tier III Hyper Cloud data center in Almaty"
Tier III is a label for the third level in a multi‑level ranking system used across industries to mark relative standing — often indicating lower priority, capacity, or quality compared with Tier I or II. Investors use it as a quick signal about expected revenue, cost, risk or regulatory demands for an asset, facility or customer segment; think of it like choosing a mid- or economy‑class option when comparing service levels or risk profiles.
sovereign cloudtechnical
"designed to anchor a sovereign cloud and AI compute ecosystem"
A sovereign cloud is a cloud computing setup designed to keep data, systems and control within a specific country or legal jurisdiction so that local laws on privacy, security and government access are met. Think of it like storing valuables in a bank branch inside your own country with locked access and national oversight. For investors, it matters because demand, costs, regulatory approval and competitive advantage can be very different for services that meet these local rules.
ai compute ecosystemtechnical
"anchor a sovereign cloud and AI compute ecosystem for the country's enterprise"
A set of hardware, software, data storage and services that together power artificial intelligence workloads — think processors, data centers, specialized chips, cloud platforms, and the tools that run on them. It matters to investors because the strength, cost and availability of that “infrastructure” determine how fast companies can deploy AI, how profitable offerings will be, and which suppliers or platforms gain market share, similar to how highways and trucks shape trade flows.
Astana, Dubai and New York, July 2, 2026:VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator ("VEON"), announces that Group CEO Kaan Terzioglu met with President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, following his participation in the 38th plenary session of the Foreign Investors Council (FIC), an advisory consultative body for direct dialogue between the Government of Kazakhstan and investors.
At the Council meeting, VEON reaffirmed support for the Digital Qazaqstan Strategy and highlighted progress toward the launch of Direct to Cell technology in Kazakhstan, developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.The hybrid solution, combining terrestrial infrastructure with satellite technology, providing 100% coverage of the country, with availability to Kazakhstani citizens planned for August 2026.
"We remain focused on investing in Kazakhstan and building the infrastructure of the future, from telecommunications networks to computing power and AI-based digital services," said Kaan Terzioglu, VEON Group CEO. "Our goal is to help Kazakhstan become not just a consumer of advanced technologies, but a creator, developer and exporter of digital innovation, and we are ready to continue as a reliable long-term partner of the government in building a modern, knowledge-based economy."
The visit builds on a series of recent investments by VEON and Beeline Kazakhstan in the country's digital infrastructure. In December 2025, Beeline Kazakhstan began construction of a Tier III Hyper Cloud data center in Almaty, designed to anchor a sovereign cloud and AI compute ecosystem for the country's enterprise and public sector, with the facility targeted to go live by the end of 2026.Beeline Kazakhstan has also been advancing satellite connectivity in partnership with Starlink Direct to Cell, having completed Central Asia's first field test of voice and SMS services over the network, with a commercial rollout planned to begin with messaging later this year.
During his visit, Kaan also held meeting with Zhaslan Madiyev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of AI and Digital Development of Kazakhstan.
About VEON VEON is a digital operator that provides connectivity and digital services to over 150 million connectivity customers and more than 228 million digital users. Operating across five countries that are home to more than 6% of the world's population, VEON is transforming lives through technology driven services that empower individuals and drive economic growth. VEON is listed on Nasdaq. For more information, visit: https://www.veon.com
About Beeline Kazakhstan Beeline Kazakhstan serves 11.7 million customers with mobile connectivity and around one million with fixed internet services. Since 2018, the company has been executing its digital operator strategy. Over the past five years, leveraging its expertise in digital solution development, Beeline Kazakhstan has created an ecosystem of 60 internal and external products. Beeline Kazakhstan is majority-owned by VEON.
Forward Looking Statements Disclaimer This release contains “forward-looking statements,” as the phrase is defined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including in relation to VEON’s investment plans in Kazakhstan.
Contact Information
VEON pr@veon.com
FAQ
What did VEON (Nasdaq: VEON) announce about its support for Kazakhstan's Digital Qazaqstan Strategy?
VEON reaffirmed its support for Kazakhstan's Digital Qazaqstan Strategy during meetings in Astana. According to VEON, the group is investing in telecommunications networks, computing power and AI-based digital services to help develop a modern, knowledge-based economy in partnership with the Kazakh government.
When will VEON and Beeline Kazakhstan launch Direct to Cell services in Kazakhstan?
Direct to Cell services in Kazakhstan are planned to be available to citizens in August 2026. According to VEON, the hybrid system will combine terrestrial infrastructure and satellite technology to target 100% national coverage, supporting connectivity in both urban and remote regions.
What is VEON's Direct to Cell hybrid technology project in Kazakhstan?
VEON's Direct to Cell project is a hybrid network combining terrestrial and satellite infrastructure. According to VEON, it aims for 100% coverage across Kazakhstan, with services planned for August 2026, supporting the country's broader Digital Qazaqstan Strategy and expanding rural and remote connectivity.
What are the details of Beeline Kazakhstan's new Tier III Hyper Cloud data center?
Beeline Kazakhstan began building a Tier III Hyper Cloud data center in Almaty in December 2025. According to VEON, the facility is designed to anchor a sovereign cloud and AI compute ecosystem and is targeted to go live by the end of 2026.
How is Beeline Kazakhstan working with Starlink Direct to Cell in 2026?
Beeline Kazakhstan has partnered with Starlink Direct to Cell and completed Central Asia’s first field test of voice and SMS. According to VEON, a commercial rollout is planned to start later in 2026, beginning with messaging services over the Direct to Cell network.
Which Kazakh leaders did VEON's CEO meet during the July 2026 visit?
VEON Group CEO Kaan Terzioglu met President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Deputy Prime Minister Zhaslan Madiyev. According to VEON, discussions focused on investments in digital infrastructure, AI development and long-term partnership within the framework of the Digital Qazaqstan Strategy.
