In late November the government took another step closer to purchasing Orascom Telecom Algeria (OTA) when bids were opened from ten companies for the financial advisory on the deal. Altimo, a Russian telecommunications holding company and major shareholder in VimpelCom, has said that the continuing uncertainty over the future of OTA will not affect a proposed merger between VimpelCom and Weather Investments (now operating as Wind Telecom), which is the major shareholder in OTA's Egyptian parent, Orascom Telecom Holding.