ICON LAUNCHES WIMAX IN ARMENIA
by Michael Lacquiere
World Markets Research Centre
Global Insight
March 17, 2009
iCON Communications has launched its WiMAX service in Armenia. The
operator now offers wireless broadband services to residential,
corporate and government customers, and has indicated that it plans
to launch VoIP services imminently, having been one of eight telcos
to have been granted number codes and capacity for voice telephony
provision last month (seeArmenia: 26 February 2009:).
Significance:iCON has stuck to its pledge to launch commercial WiMAX
services by mid-March 2009 and will now look to make good on another
target of achieving a subscriber base of 10,000 within its first 12
months of operation (seeArmenia: 4 December 2008:). iCON also plans to
have nationwide coverage by the end of 2010 at an investment cost of
around $10US million. The provision of wireless broadband is becoming
increasingly popular in Armenia, given that it sidesteps the trouble
and costs of physical infrastructure deployment. Further roll-outs
can be expected from Comstar and Clearstream, each of which has also
obtained WiMAX licences.