Russia’s Telecom Regulator Changes Policy on Wi-Max Frequencies

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2010 – Russia’s telecommunications regulator Roskomnadzor this week reversed its longstanding policy requiring that frequencies allocated for Wi-Max not be used in the development of other technology. This move comes as Russian Wi-Max operator Scartel and Russian national operator Rostelecom announce their plans to invest in super-speedy LTE (long-term evolution) technology using old radio frequencies, a plan which Roskomnadzor had previously quashed.

In preparation for deployment of the new technology, Scartel has invested roughly $2 billion, reports Telegeography. Scartel’s construction of a commercial LTE network will begin this summer, while Rostelecom plans to launch LTE networks in 2011. Both operators are currently preparing LTE testing areas based on Russian equipment.