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Subscribers of Sistema Shyam TeleServices will soon be able to browse Internet with download speeds of over 9 Mbps.
The company, which offers mobile services under the MTS brand, has been allocated more spectrum by the telecom department, after a six-month delay. Sistema had won 3.75 MHz of spectrum in the auction held in March but were given only 2.5 MHz till now.
The allotment of the full spectrum is significant as the company wants to make the Indian operations achieve positive operating income before depreciation and amortisation by 2014.
New data tech
Central to this strategy is an aggressive roll out of next generation data networks across nine circles, based on a technology called Evolution Data Optimised Revision B (EVDO Rev B).
To do this, the operator has to have minimum of 3.75 MHz of spectrum, which now it has got from the DoT. This will allow Sistema to roll out the new technology to compete with operators such as Airtel and Vodafone, which are offering data services using 3G spectrum.
Dmitry Shukov, Chief Executive Officer, SSTL, said, “Looking ahead, our plan is to acquire at least 5 MHz of contiguous spectrum within the 800 MHz spectrum band.”
Eight circles
It may be recalled that in March 2013 spectrum auctions, SSTL had won three carriers of 1.25 MHz each in eight circles i.e. Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Kolkata, Tamil Nadu, UP (West) and West Bengal.
In addition, SSTL already has three carriers of spectrum within 800 MHz band in its Rajasthan circle and already provides Rev B based data services within the same circle.
> thomas.thomas@thehindu.co.in
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