Kazakhstan Operator Commissions 3,500th Base Station

Kazakhstan based mobile network operator, Kcell says that it has commissioned its 3,500th base station - expanding its coverage to all villages with a population of more than 5000 people and in 85% of villages with a population of more than 2000 people. At the moment Kcell has the largest coverage area of its network including almost 2000 cities and villages all over the country.

Veysel Aral, the Chief Executive Officer of GSM Kazakhstan/Kcell, says: "Our Company has invested over one billion US dollars into high technologies and country infrastructure thus bringing communication to most remote villages and both republican and regional roads within the country. Our investments are not only the largest coverage area. This is communication quality, which satisfies the very high international benchmarks, regarding to traffic transmission channel availability, overload or network fall - exceed the world standards."

70% of the installed base stations support EDGE, which is now available in 18 cities. Currently the Company is completely ready for implementation of 3G cellular standard.

According to figures from the Mobile World analysts, Kcell (GSM Kazakhstan) ended Q1 '09 with a shade over 7 million customers, and a market share of around 46%.

Kcell is 51% owned by Fintur Holdings (TeliaSonera 58.55% and Turkcell 41.45%), and 49% by local landline operator, KazakhTelecom.

On the web: Kcell - Mobile World

Posted to the site on 13th July 2009