Yota plans LTE network in Krasnodar by April 29, in Sochi by May 11
MOSCOW. March 20 (Interfax) - Scartel, which operates under the Yota brand, plans to launch its LTE network in Moscow by April 15 and then launch the 4G network in Krasnodar and Sochi.
The 4G network will start working in Krasnodar on April 29 and in Sochi on May 11 by switching from the existing WiMAX network. The LTE network will work on the same frequencies - 2.4-2.7 GHz and the same coverage as the WiMAX network.
Yota promises that the switchover will take no more than three hours. After the LTE network is launched, WiMAX will be switched off.
Customers will join the 4G network with the same tariffs as for the WiMAX network.
As with Moscow, Yota will put in place an exchange program so WiMAX equipment can be swapped for LTE standard modems and routers. The 4G equipment will be free to existing active customers or customers that have started to actively use Yota services (paid at least 500 rubles for services) by March 20. The equipment will go on sale the day the LTE network is switched on.
Yota plans to switch the WiMAX network to the new LTE standard in all the cities it is present in (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Ufa, Sochi and Krasnodar) by September 2012. Scartel Chairman Denis Sverdlov told the press earlier that the State Radio Frequencies Commission asked the company to switch WiMAX off by September. Yota plans to launch the LTE network in dozens of cities in 2012.
Megafon and Rostelecom can work on Scartel infrastructure as mobile network virtual operators (MVNO). Megafon already obtained the relevant license in February. Scartel may become an MVNO in the Megafon and Rostelecom networks. Scartel launched a pilot LTE network in Novosibirsk using Megafon base stations last year. Megafon received the opportunity to be an MVNO in this network but it has n not started because network use terms are still being discussed.
LTE network construction frequencies throughout Krasnodar territory have been transferred to Olympics-2014 partners Megafon and Rostelecom. In accordance with instructions issued by the State Radio Frequencies Commission last week, the operators can equally share all the frequency resources suitable for LTE (791-862 MGz, 2-2.4 GHz, 2.5-2.69 GHz). The partners will have this right until 2016. The frequencies are only just sufficient for the two operators due to restrictions, Megafon Deputy Chairman Tigran Pogosyan said at the State Radio Frequencies Commission meeting last Friday. Scartel has so far not commented on the statement.
