Uzbekistan of all places (pardon my ignorance) is one of the first markets in the world to be blessed with an LTE network thanks to Russia’s Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) which launched 4G services in the centre of Tashkent, the country’s capital. This move in turn makes MTS only the second operator in the world and Uzbekistan the third market in the world to go live with a commercial LTE network. Previously TeliaSonera launched LTE networks in Sweden and Norway.
The new network is deployed in the 2.5-2.7GHz band using a license acquired by MTS Uzbekistan in October 2009, and equipment from China’s Huawei.
Commenting on the new network launch and future plans, MTS’ ?leg Raspopov said: “The development of our networks is a key driver for growth, particularly in a region with relatively low-fixed line broadband penetration. The introduction of LTE in Uzbekistan will also allow MTS to gain valuable insight from this unique experience and eventually apply it to other markets of operation in the future.”
[Via: MobileBusinessBriefing]