www.WirelessFederation.com/news: SkyLink, a Russian cellco, which previously operated exclusively across CDMA-based networks, finally outlined its plans to deploy the 2G standard. The decision is taken after more than two years when the company secured licences allowing it to roll out GSM-based networks.

Even after winning concessions covering 45 of Russia’s 83 regions in late-2007, the company is yet to deploy GSM in these areas. This had risked the company of losing its license after the country’s communications watchdog claimed that it has failed to fulfill its license conditions.

Alcatel-Lucent and Huawei Technologies have been hired by Skyline to provide equipment and services for the rollout, giving the company some chance of achieving its target of installing GSM networks across most of Russia’s regions by 2011.

According to SkyLink deputy CEO, Yuri Khromov, the partnership with Huawei and Alcatel-Lucent is done to ensure that the new GSM base stations can easily be upgraded to 4G technology, in preparation for the time when Russia’s Communications Ministry gives approval for the next evolution of mobile broadband technology.