Yota Begins Operations in Peru
25-01-2010
Lima, January 25, 2010
Yota, the mobile services developer and provider and one of the world’s leaders in Mobile WiMAX (4G) technology development, has announced the beginning of operations in Peru.
According to the contract between Yota and the Peruvian Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the company secures a license for 2.5-2.7 GHz spectrum for twenty years to provide telecommunications services based upon the Mobile WiMAX standard. Under the terms of the contract, Yota will build networks in 12 regions of Peru within the next 5 years. It is expected that the first 4G network will be launched in test mode in the capital of Peru, Lima, in Q4/2010, and that it will begin providing commercial service starting 2011.
Yota del Peru entity will build the network and provide services. The Russian team equipped by background accumulated in Russia and Nicaragua will be in charge of the effective and rapid launch of the Peruvian project in its early stage, and later it will transfer its knowledge and authority to local managers. WiMAX Holding, the beneficiary of Yota, owns 88% in the newly-created company. The remaining 12% are owned by BWDC, Yota’s partner in the Peruvian project.
The citizens of Peru will be provided with a wide range of Yota services developed within the scope of the company’s Russian project, and with several types of network access units: USB modems, PDAs, routers, and laptops produced by Yota’s technological partners.
“Peru’s case is unparalleled: the country holds a leading position in the region in terms of Internet users, but it experiences a critical shortage of broadband access,” Yegor Ivanov, the vice president of business development of Yota, noted. “Considering that Peru is similar to Russia in economic development and population density, we are confident that our business model, that was tested and proved itself in the Russian market, will also succeed in Peru, and that our services will turn out popular and timely.”
Peru is the third foreign market for Yota after Nicaragua and Belorussia. The proven business model and technological infrastructure, over 70 models of end-user devices with built-in Mobile WiMAX support, a set of unique mobile services as well as our experience to date — all of these allow Yota to make steady progress toward international markets.