Russia's Defense Ministry has agreed to allow 3G frequencies to be used in the Moscow region - finally permitting the launch of 3G services by the end of this year. The Ministry had blocked the launch of 3G services as it used some of the frequencies for its own missile warning system.
An anonymous source with one of the cellular companies told the Kommersant newspaper that, in February, NRA addressed a letter to the General Staff Chief Yuri Baluevsky on behalf of three cellular companies licensed for the 3G services. Russia’s cellular giants, MTS, VimpelCom and MegaFon used the NRA services to urge the chief military to examine the RF spectrum.
The IT and Communication Union sent a similar letter to the General Staff.
Following this pressure the General Staff has decided to study the radio frequency needs of of 3G cellular networks and Defense Ministry’s communications and electronic facilities in Moscow and the Moscow region.
In related news, VimpelCom has announced that it is planning to launch its 3G networks simultaneously in the Southern Russian cities of Sochi, Krasnodar and Rostov-on-Don during the second half of this year.
Posted to the site on 19th March 2008
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/30011.php