Russia has awarded licenses in its long-awaited LTE spectrum auction to the federation’s so-called ‘Big Three’ mobile operators Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), MegaFon and VimpelCom along with state-owned Rostelecom.
Telecoms regulator Roskomnadzora…
Russia has awarded licenses in its long-awaited LTE spectrum auction to the federation’s so-called ‘Big Three’ mobile operators Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), MegaFon and VimpelCom along with state-owned Rostelecom.
Telecoms regulator Roskomnadzora announced the results of the tender for four lots in the 791-862MHz range today, revealing the four other participants – Norwegian mobile operator Tele2’s two local units, Russian Railway’s telecoms subsidiary TTK and Summa Telecom – have missed out.
While operators don’t have to pay for their licences, which take effect next year, they are required to meet certain conditions.
Licensees must, for example, complete their network rollouts by 2019, servicing all areas with populations of 50,000 or more. They must also invest at least Rbs15bn (US$458.35m) annually in their networks until 2019.
The auction marks a milestone in what has been described as the Russian mobile sector’s “war for 4G” services.
