Reuters announced Rostelecom won 4G network licenses that cover a third of the population of Russia. The license is for the 30MHz of spectrum space in the 2.3GHz-2.4GHz band for each region.
The operator has 18 months to build and launch 4G networks using Russian equipment in each area. Networks will be launched in Tomsk and Chechnya. Svyazinvest, which is the state owned parent company of Rostelecom, wants to transform itself by combining its local telecom companies into one single network across Russia. The 4G auction makes the company the fourth largest mobile operator in Russia.
Yota has established itself as a leader in Russia in offering WiMAX services, a 4G technology that’s more readily available than LTE. LTE is still in the testing stages, but it’s a technology that Rostelcom can use when offering commercial services in Russia. Yota plans on a complete WiMAX network for Russia.
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