Mobile communication operator receives frequency to develop 3G network in Azerbaijan

The State Radio Frequencies Commission of Azerbaijan has allocated Azerbaijani-based mobile operator Azercell LLC a frequency for the deployment of telecommunications services in the 3G standard, head of corporate affairs department of Azercell, Ulviya Hassanzadeh, told.

It deals with providing the operator with frequency resources of 1900-2100 Mhz. According to Hassanzadeh, the decision to issue frequency was made on Oct. 27. Availability of frequency resources is the first step in obtaining a license for the deployment of 3G standard.

At present, she said, the company is fully prepared to launch the 3G network, which requires only the presence of the required license of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies.

"We hope that the issue of licensing would be resolved by the end of this week. As soon as possible after obtaining the license, the company will begin providing 3G services," said Hassanzadeh.

Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technologies Iltimas Mammadov said on Tuesday that by the end of the week, the Ministry will issue licenses to provide 3G services to operators Azercell and Bakcell.

"The question has been included in the agenda of the board meeting of the Ministry devoted to the first nine months of the year, which is expected to be conducted later this week. A general decision on this issue will be made by the board. The issue is also discussed between the operators themselves," said Mammadov.

Official license fee set by the state is 11,000 manat. Today, the license to provide 3G services has only been issued to Azerfon Company. The operators who are licensed will have to invest in infrastructure, significant resources. They will have to modernize all network equipment and switchboards, each base station.

As it is known over the last three years, the operator has been conducting preparatory work to introduce third generation network, and therefore, a significant number of stations has been installed with the expectation of providing 3G services.

Currently about 30 percent of base stations involved in the operator's network supports the work of 3G standard.

By the end of the year, the operator plans to install 170 new base stations. The number of base stations in Azercell network reaches 2,000. Mainly the Ericsson Company supplies equipment.

Azercell Company takes 55 percent of the mobile market of Azerbaijan. The territory of the operator's network coverage is 80 percent. Number of subscribers exceeds 4.2 million.