Big-3 cellular providers submit applications for LTE tender
MOSCOW. June 6 (Interfax) - Russia's telecommunications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, has accepted applications to a tender for the distribution of LTE frequencies from OJSC Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), OJSC Megafon and OJSC Vimpelcom , the watchdog said in a statement.
Applications from the Big-3 cellular providers were received on Tuesday at the same time.
The fourth candidate vying for a 4G frequency is OJSC Rostelecom , which plans to submit a application within the prescribed timeframe, the provider told Interfax
Applications for this tender will be submitted until June 14. Roskomnadzor will tally the results on July 12.
According to a decision of the State Committee on Radio Frequencies, the tender will put up four federal lots for frequencies in the 791-862 MHz band (at two 7.5 MHz in each lot). The winner will also be allocated frequencies at 2.5-2.69 MHz, 720-750 MHz, and 761-791 MHz. The tender's terms guarantee all Big-4 providers, MTS, Megafon, Vimpelcom and Rostelecom with wins.
Regional operator Tele2 Russia also planned to submit an application to the tender.
The tender's winners should activate their first LTE networks in 2013 and complete construction by 2019. Investment in LTE should come to at least 15 billion rubles a year for each participant. In addition, the winners should pay for frequency conversion, the cost of which is valued at up to 100 billion rubles.
