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Russia: SkyLink bidding for GSM licenses in Siberia Print E-mail
Wednesday, 10 October 2007
The CDMA 450 operator SkyLink is bidding for eleven GSM licenses in Siberia.

The Tender Committee at the Federal Supervisory Service on Communication, Mass Media and Culture Protection (FSS) say that 41 companies are participating in two tenders for GSM licenses in Siberia. On October 18, eleven 1800 MHz spectrum blocks will be auctioned for Irkutsk, Tomsk and Chita Regions, Ust-Ordynsk, Buryat and Aginsk Autonomous Areas. Two 900 MHz blocks will be auctioned for the Ust-Ordynsky Area. Frequency distribution in Siberia is part of a program for 2007 to distribute regional GSM spectrum.

The major mobile operators in Russia are all participating in the tender. MegaFon is bidding for eight blocks. VimpelCom and MTS submitted three bids each. The other tender participants are three Svyazinvest subsidiaries – Volgatelecom, Dalsvyaz, Sibirtelecom – the Novosibirsk subsidiary of Tele2, SMARTS, Vladivostok New Telephone Company, Strimton, FirmaGeocom and Summa Telecom.

SkyLink’s participation in the tender was unexpected, as the company operates a CDMA network.

“We consider GSM licenses as one of the possibilities to build up a multi-range two-standard cellular network, which will enable our subscribers to make use of various technologies advantages…” Gulnara Khasianova, SkyLink Director General said.

Source: C News - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News.