MUNICH, Germany—Siemens has confirmed that it won an order to supply the equipment for the second GSM network in the Republic of Belarus owned by Russia-based Mobile Telesystems (MTS) and Belasrussian company Mezhdugorodnaya svyaz. Global Wireless first reported the contract win in February.
The contract value is 30 million euro (US$24.5 million).
The commercial start of the network is schedule for the second quarter. The network is to be constructed in three stages. It will first cover the capital of Minsk, then the major industrial cities and will finally expand to 90 percent of the territory of Belarus, which has a population of 10 million.
Belarus finally gave a green light to MTS to launch a second GSM network in the country, after Belarussian red tape delayed the launch for at least three months. Belarussian state-run company Mezhdugorodnaya svyaz holds a 51-percent stake in the new carrier.
So far, the only GSM carrier in Belarus is Velcom, which reported 110,000 clients in 2001. MTS’ launch was scheduled for April, as Velcom’s exclusive GSM license expired this month.
