Belarusian Network Announces Expansion Program

The Belarus based, Velcom has said that by the end of this year, the company is planning to invest US$50 million in improving its network, and the same amount to invest in the first half 2003 year. Therefore the total volume of Velcom investments will come to US$200 million by the middle of 2003, double the original investment program.

"30 thousand new subscribers have got activated to Velcom net during this months, - informs Yushkevich N., the General Director of MDC. - The rates of growing the subscribers' base have redoubled compared with the previous month. The indices of July 2002 have proved the total accuracy of the policy carried out by the company at the Belarusian marketplace and once again have demonstrated our familiarity with the local market and its needs. Existing investment situation in the Republic and prospects of future Velcom development allow us to state about additional investments into the network".

Upgrading of the switching capacity in Minsk will be done in two stages. The switch will be able to serve up to 350.000 subscribers within August 2002 and up to 550.000 of them by the end of 2002. Five additional switches to be installed in regional cities by the end of the current year. To improve radio network quality extra base stations will be placed in Minsk (about 50 of them) and Minsk region, as well as in regional cities of RB such as Novopolotsk, Bobruisk, Molodechno, Baranovichi, Pinsk, Retchitsa, Borisov and along the Brest-Moscow E30 motorway. Expansion of Velcom coverage will be realized by means of installation new BS at Minsk-Grodno, Minsk-Oshmiany directions and in Cherven', Vileika, Smorgon', Volkovysk, Volozhin, Gorodok, Braslav, Ezerische (customs point), Pogranichny (customs point), Bykhov, Gorki, Dovsk and other cities.

GPRS is also expected to be commercially launched in September.'"

Posted to the site on 29th July 2002