Wireless Federation

ArmenTel expands 3G network coverage in Armenian regions

On 01.17.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Armenian mobile operator, ArmenTel has reportedly expanded its 3G network footprint to encompass the cities of Ararat, Armavir, Artashat, Ashtarak, Vardenis, Vedi, Gavar, Yeghvard, Masis, Metsamor, Hrazdan and Sevan as well as dozens of village communities.

According to reports, hand in hand with the UMTS network expansion the telco is deploying additional 3G-enabled base stations in the cities of Abovyan, Vanadzor, Gyumri, Echmiadzin and Yerevan, to improve capacity on its existing network infrastructure.

As a result of the latest upgrade works, the operator’s 3G signal is now available to 2.5 million Armenians, equivalent to 81.1% of the population.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • Abovyan • Ararat • Armavir • Armenia • ArmenTel • Artashat • Ashtarak • Echmiadzin • Gavar • Gyumri • Hrazdan • Masis • Metsamor • Mobile • Sevan • UMTS • Vanadzor • Vardenis • Vedi • Yeghvard • Yerevan

ArmenTel lowers wholesale internet tariff (Armenia)

On 12.27.10, In Mobile, By Editor

Armenian fixed and mobile operator ArmenTel has lowered its tariffs for wholesale internet access.

According to the company, a 1Mbps international transit TCP/IP traffic service will be charged at US$217.2 per month.

Last month ArmenTel doubled retail bandwidth for its Hi Line 2048 broadband subscribers from 512kbps to 1024kbps.

According to CEO Igor Klimko, the initiative has been possible thanks to improvements in the telco’s backbone network. Hi Line users will not be charged for the upgrade, which will be carried out in a phased process. ArmenTel’s ADSL-based service is currently available in 38 cities across the country.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 1Mbps international transit TCP/IP traffic service • Armenia • ArmenTel • CEO Igor Klimko • internet tariff • Mobile

VivaCell-MTS plans to launch commercial LTE services in Feb 2011 (Armenia)

On 12.21.10, In Mobile, By Editor

Armenian cellco VivaCell-MTS has launched its LTE network on a â€˜test-commercial basis’.

The company plans a full commercial launch in February starting in Yerevan before being expanded to Armenia’s regions.

VivaCell-MTS has paid US$2.7 million for a 4G concession in November. Meanwhile, fellow operator Armentel is believed to be in discussions with the Public Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia as it seeks to secure a 4G concession.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 4G • Armenia • ArmenTel • LTE • Mobile • Public Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia • test-commercial basis • Vivacell-MTS • Yerevan

ArmenTel Q2 Revenue down by 6.5%; growth in MoU

On 09.23.10, In Mobile, By Editor

ArmenTel, the largest telecom company in Armenia’s net operating revenues fall by 6.5% year-on-year to US$46.5 million for the quarter ending 30 June 2010. The plunge in net revenue caused an adverse affect on the mobile arm which booked an 8.3% decline in YoY revenues.

At the end of June 2010 ArmenTel added up 49,700 broadband internet subscribers, an increase by 158.9% year-on-year, at the same time the mobile base expanded 16.7% to 567,000. Additionally, 13.3% increase was seen in monthly MoU to 270.1 minutes.
According to the company, the turnover for the cellular division slumped to US$ 0.02 million while sales derived from fixed line operations came to US$0.03 million.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Armenia • ArmenTel • cellular division • Fixed Line • Mobile • MoU • YoY

ArmenTel launches new off for fixed line customers (Armenia)

On 06.10.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A new offer has been launched by Armenian PTO ArmenTel (trading as Beeline) in an attempt to entice people to sign up for its fixed line services. As per the new offer, business or residential users wanting a new fixed line will be able to pay for the connection until December 31, 2010 twelve monthly installments.

According to ArmenTel chief executive Igor Klimko, the move was designed to encourage â€˜all strata of the population’ to sign up for its services, and forms part of its Russian parent Vimpelcom strategy to shore up the fixed line business in the liberalized market.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Armenia • ArmenTel • ASIA • Beeline • Russia • VimpelCom

Armenia’s ArmenTel plans to triple 3G capacity

On 04.07.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Tripling of 3G communications capacity has been planned by national fixed line and mobile operator ArmenTel by the end of 2010. Working under the Beeline trademark of its parent Vimpelcom, more than 100,000 subscribers currently use the cellco’s mobile internet services, including 3G.

The Russian parent of the telco after the successful trials of a test LTE network in Kazakhstan has planned to roll out Long Term Evolution (LTE) in Armenia.

According to Armentel CEO Igor Klimko, it is very important to note that the decision on frequency harmonisation, in which the LTE network construction will be permitted in Armenia, will also have an impact on its plans and it is felt that frequencies within 700MHz-800MHz harmonisation will be optimal. Mixed views have been generated by the rivals of the telco. 4G service based on LTE technology is intended to be generated by VivaCell-MTS during 2010. Orange Armenia has made it clear that it does not plan to replace 3G+ (HSPA) technology with 4G.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • Armenia • ArmenTel • ASIA • Beeline • HSPA • Kazakhstan • Long Term Evolution • LTE network • operator • Orange • Russia • VimpelCom • Vivacell-MTS

Armenian cellco K-Telecom reaches 2.1m subscribers mark

On 03.26.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The subscribers’ base of Armenian cellco K-Telecom (trading as VivaCell-MTS) reached 2.1 million on February 28, 2010.

75% of the domestic mobile market had been controlled by VivaCell-MTS at December 31, 2009. With 19% market share, the mobile arm of national PTO ArmenTel (Beeline) was close to MTS and it was followed by market newcomer Orange Armenia with the remaining market share. Orange signed its 200,000th subscriber just last month having launched services on November 5, 2009.

Given the threat posed by its rivals, VivaCell-MTS is now looking to new, advanced technologies to maintain its competitive edge. Plan to deploy 4G mobile broadband services based on Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology in 2010 has been recently revealed by the company.

Out of 2.045 million-strong customer base of the cellco, around 600,000 subscribe to some form of data product (i.e. GPRS, EDGE or UMTS technology), including around 400,000 3G subscribers.

VivaCell is a subsidiary of Russian powerhouse Mobile TeleSystems OJSC (MTS), a leading telecoms operator in Russia and CIS countries.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: 3G • Armenia • ArmenTel • CellC • Eurasia • GPRS • K-Telecom • Long Term Evolution • operator • Orange • Russia • UMTS • VivaCell • Vivacell-MTS

Orange Armenia receives more frequencies from regulator

On 02.12.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: In order to improve the quality of communications between the base stations, additional radio frequencies have been provided to start-up mobile operator Orange Armenia by the country’s regulator, the Public Services Regulation Commission (PSRC).

PSRC has also announced to have established tariffs for interconnection between fixed line telecoms operators in the country. A business model concerning interconnection between former monopoly ArmenTel (Beeline) and alternative operators has been approved by the committee.

PSRC has set rates independently for the capital at AMD2.5 and AMD10f or other region.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Armenia • ArmenTel • operator • Orange • Orange Armenia • Western Asia

ArmenTel has not been sold â€“ it’s official

On 11.03.06, In Mobile, By Editor

A spokesperson for Armenia’s Ministry of Transport and Communication says it has not received any official confirmation from OTE of Greece concerning the sale of its 90% stake in national PTO ArmenTel. Tamara Ghalechyan, press secretary to the Ministry, confirmed the operator had not been sold following recent press rumours which suggested the stake had been purchased by UAE-based operator Etisalat. The Russian Kommersant newspaper, citing a source close to the Armenian government, reported that a consortium led by Etisalat, and including investment fund Istithmar, had agreed to pay OTE USD600 million for its stake in ArmenTel. The source said that the consortium won the tender earlier this year, beating off rival bids from Russian companies AFK Sistema and VimpelCom, and a consortium of VTEL Holdings and Knightsbridge Associates. Etisalat has denied the rumour.

Source- telegeography Wireless Mobile Telecom

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Armenia • ArmenTel • Greece • Russia