Ukraine has raised UAH$8.77bn (US$269.9m) from its landmark 3G spectrum auction, with all three of the country’s mobile network operators winning airwaves.
Smallest player Astelit, in which Turkish mobile operator Turkcell has a 55% stake, spent the…
Ukraine has raised UAH$8.77bn (US$269.9m) from its landmark 3G spectrum auction, with all three of the country’s mobile network operators winning airwaves.
Smallest player Astelit, in which Turkish mobile operator Turkcell has a 55% stake, spent the most, agreeing to pay UAH$3.36bn (US$103.41m) for airwaves in the first lot, the 1920-1935 MHz and 2110-2170 MHz bands, National Commission for Communication and Information Regulation (NCCIR) announced.
The local unit of Russian telco MTS agreed to pay UAH2.72bn (US$83.71m) for spectrum in the third lot, the 1950-1965 MHz and 2140-2155 MHz bands.
Kyivstar, a unit of Russia-focussed VimpelCom, agreed to pay UAH2.7bn (US$83.1m) for frequencies in the 1965-1980 MHz and 2155-2170 MHz bands.
Operators are required to launch 3G services in one region within a month of receiving their 15-year licences and in the remaining regions within 18 months.
Ilker Kuruoz, acting CEO of Astelit, which operates under the brand name Life, said in a company statement that the award of 3G frequencies will enable local operators to take “the first step towards a more dynamic and data-driven world of communication”.
“As Ukraine’s leading operator in terms of smartphone penetration, we are in a unique position to contribute even more significantly to Ukraine’s journey to a whole new world of opportunities enabled by 3G,” he added.
Meanwhile, MTS group president and CEO Andrei Dubovskov noted that the company has invested more than US$500m over the past three years in modernising its networks in Ukraine.
“This will allow us to quickly offer customers access to high-speed mobile internet and value-added services,” he said.
“In the coming years, mobile data will become the key driver of revenue growth for our business in the region.”
Kyivstar president Peter Chernyshev said his company is pleased with the auction results, saying that now it is set to receive a 3G licence it can focus on building a network.
