Third mobile operator in Armenia will invest at least 200 mil. EUR

Third mobile operator in Armenia will invest at least 200 million EUR

2008-07-14 11:22:00

ArmInfo. Third mobile communication operator in Armenia should have an
opportunity to invest at least 200 million in development under tender
documents, Head of the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC)
Department for Telecommunications Gevorg Gevorgyan told ArmInfo. PSRC
will consider the tender documents on July 16 2008 to provide the third
operator of Armenia licenses for activity in the sphere and for use of
frequencies. To participate in the tender, a company is to pay 10,000
euros. The minimal cost of the application for license is 10 million
euros. The license will be provided for 15 years. Under the tender, the
third operator is to have experience in the sphere of mobile
communication.

The following codes will be provided to the third operator +374 (0) 55
and +374 (0) 95. If the operator fails to use the provided codes by at
least 60% by the end of the year, the PSRC has a right to take back the
unused numbers. The third operator will be provided with GSM frequency
and an opportunity to provide 3G services including voice and data
transmission. The frequencies will be provided within the following
limits: 880-890, 925-935, 1745-1765, 1840-1860, 1910-1915, 1950-1965,
2140-2155 MHz.

The press-service of the Armenian Ministry of Transport and
Communication told ArmInfo the tender will be officially announced on
July 16.

At present GSM service providers in Armenia are ArmenTel CJSC (100%
subsidiary of Russian VimpelCom OJSC with trademark Beeline) and
K-Telecom with trademark VivaCell, 88% stake of the latter belong to
Russian MTS operator. By the data of the companies, the number of
subscribers was up 45.5% over 2007 to 1,824,344. The greatest part of
the market belong top VivaCell.