OREANDA-NEWS. Tele2, an alternative mobile operator, wins license for the 1800-megahertz spectrum in Samara Region at an open online-auction held by Roskomnadzor (Federal Supervision Agency for Information Technologies and Communications).

Tele2 has won a license for two frequency bands in Samara Region: 1710-1785 MHz and 1805-1880 MHz. The starting price of these airwaves was set at RUB101.2 mn. At an open auction Tele2 offered the highest bid – the company will pay RUB1.083 bn into the budget.

The frequency band in Samara Region will let Tele2 roll out GSM and LTE 1800 networks. Received spectrum will give the operator an opportunity to provide wide network coverage, its larger capacity and offer high-speed mobile Internet. The operator earlier had no GSM frequencies in the region.

This was the first time the state held an open online auction for frequency spectrum. All in all ten spectrum bands in 9 Russian regions were put up for the auction. The starting price is being calculated at a formula that is taking into account social and economic indicators of each region and ranges from RUB31.6 mn in Karachay-Cherkessia to RUB240.4 mn in Dagestan.

Technology neutrality principle, much sought after by Tele2, is applicable to the auctioned frequency bands. As a result, mobile operator received an opportunity to roll out LTE networks that provide high-speed data transmission in the 1800-megahertz spectrum.

Aleksandr Provotorov, First Deputy CEO at Tele2:

“We are satisfied with results of the auction. With spectrum license for Samara Region Tele2 has received new opportunities for development. The company is interested in further geographic expansion and network rollout in new regions. The GSM license for airwaves in Samara Region was Tele2’s main target at this auction as the operator had no 1800-megahertz band in the region. We will be able to roll out a technologically advanced network here as well as provide high-quality voice and high-speed wireless Internet.”