OREANDA-NEWS. June 20, 2007. CenterTelecom has commenced construction of the first stage of a project to build a wireless broadband network with a 3.5 Hz bandwidth using BreezeMAX equipment in the Moscow, Vladimir, Tambov and Tula regions of the Central Federal District of the Russian Federation.

 The network is being rolled out in line with CenterTelecom’s implementation of a priority national project called “Education” according to which 52,940 Russian educational facilities are to be provided with Internet access by the end of 2007.

The completion of stage one of CenterTelecom’s construction of a wireless network in 4 regions of the Central Federal District (CFD) will make it possible to provide Internet connectivity  to school children at general education facilities, in places where Internet access is generally not affordable. In the future, CenterTelecom will consider the possibility of using this network to provide universal telecom services in the Central Federal District.

 Due to different levels of development of the telecom infrastructure in the Central Federal District, part of the project to build the wireless access network will include the option of focused WiMAX technologies in a number of regions of the CFD, whereas in other areas of the district the coverage zone will extend to the entire territory of this constituent entity of the Russian Federation. Thus, the plan is in the Moscow branch of CenterTelecom to roll out 14 micro-base stations and 50 subscriber switching facilities, 18 micro-base stations and 920 subscriber switching facilities, 27 micro-base stations and 270 subscriber switching facilities in the Tambov region, and 3 micro-base stations and 7 subscriber switching facilities in the Tula branch of CenterTelecom.

 Commenting on the launch of the project, deputy CEO and technical director of CenterTelecom Alexander Kirillov noted that the rollout of a wireless Internet access network will make it possible not only for the Company to provide CFD educational facilities with high-speed Internet access before the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year, but also to lay the groundwork for providing advanced telecom solutions to all inhabitants of Central Russia.