Yota, a Russian wireless broadband company, has deployed its latest fourth generation (4G) network in Kazan, capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan – having installed the citywide network in just two months.
The network trial was launched with a number of live demonstrations providing wireless broadband speeds of up to 100mps (in a lab environment) and a suite of next generation wireless services such as live 3D-video conferencing and full HD video streaming. Yota has invested $20 million in building the Kazan network, which covers the city’s whole population of over one million people with 147 base stations. Kazan is Russia’s third city and host to the Universiade (the world university games) in 2013.
In his address at the launch ceremony Yota CEO, Dennis Sverdlov, said: “Today not only marks a success for Yota, but serves as a milestone in the delivery of next generation wireless services that will transform the way people live and do business”.
Sverdlov added “Yota is already expanding fast and deploying the latest 4G networks across a number of emerging markets worldwide. These particular markets are not hindered by the complexities of upgrading existing technologies, and don’t have any legacy of 3G premiums. As a result we will soon see these countries leapfrog the more developed Western economies when it comes to wireless broadband services”.
Yota has invested $500m to date in the development of its latest generation 4G network covering seven cities in Russia and Nicaragua with more coming soon, it says.