Russian telcos MTS and VimpelCom have signed an agreement to jointly roll out and use LTE networks in 36 regions.
From 2014 to 2016, the agreement will see MTS, Russia’s largest mobile operator, develop shared mobile data networks in 19 Russian…
Russian telcos MTS and VimpelCom have signed an agreement to jointly roll out and use LTE networks in 36 regions.
From 2014 to 2016, the agreement will see MTS, Russia’s largest mobile operator, develop shared mobile data networks in 19 Russian regions and VimpelCom, the third-largest mobile player, build networks in 17 regions.
The operators will share base stations, sites, transport networks and other infrastructure for seven years. The agreement does not preclude them from developing their own additional networks.
MTS CEO Andrei Dubovskov said the partnership sets a precedent for sharing active network infrastructure in Russia. He noted that it will be more commercially viable for both companies to roll out networks in the regions, which include cities and less populated areas.
“This ambitious project has been made possible by legislative initiatives put forward by the regulator,” he said.
VimpelCom CEO Mikhail Slobodin added that his company is looking forward to the early adoption of the legislation which will allow it to share spectrum. He said the operator expects more than half of data services customers to migrate to LTE by 2019.
Russia’s deputy minister of communications and mass media, Dmitry Alkhazov, said the ministry welcomes operators’ efforts to jointly develop telecoms infrastructure, describing improving the quality and availability of telecoms services as a key priority.
“We have recently completed a major project aimed at enabling operators to share telecommunications infrastructure, including joint ownership of base stations.
“In the current economic environment, our goal is to put in place regulations which will allow operators to reduce costs and further enhance networks coverage in the regions, contributing to elimination of the digital divide in Russia.”
