Azerbaijan, Baku, April 10 / Trend H. Valiyev /
The Azerbaijani Communications and IT Ministry will give licenses to render telecommunications services in 3G standard to Azercell and Bakcell companies in the first half of the year, Minister of Communications and Information Technologies Ali Abbasov said at a meeting with members of the Caspian-European Integration Business Club (CEIBC).
He said that today companies' appeals to obtain a license are considered together with the radio frequencies department in Azerbaijan.
Official license fee set by the government is 11,000 manat.
At present, only Azerfon company has the license for rendering telecommunications services in 3G standard.
The operators which received a license, must invest in infrastructure huge funds. They will have to upgrade all network equipment, all the switches, each base station.
Azercell Telecom President Ali Agan said that this year Azercell's investments in the telecommunications sector of Azerbaijan will be 70 million manat, which is 12.1 million manat more that the investments made in 2009.
The company's plans include installation of 300 base stations that support the standard 3G. After the introduction of 3G standard, all the numbers of Azercell existing subscribers will support the communication standard 3G.
Subscribers will be connected by sending short messages.