MOSCOW—The Ukrainian Mobile Communications (UMC) carrier announced the launch of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) test trials saying the system would be technically ready in the third quarter this year.
“Equipment has arrived and we launched test trials,” said UMC Director Erik Franke.
However, he added that the carrier would not hurry with the new Internet-bound technology, as it is hard to predict the demand. Franke said only 3 percent of UMC clients, or some 20,000 subscribers, are currently accessing Internet through Wireless Access Protocol (WAP). The UMC chief complained that the small number of WAP-enabled sites inhibits the spread of the technology.
Another problem was the small number of available handsets that can operate over GPRS.
UMC’s major competitor, Kyivstar, also announced its intention to introduce GPRS.
Ukraine’s carrier tests GPRS
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