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Yota Deploys Most Significant 4G Network to Date
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Russia’s WiMAX operator Yota has launched its first LTE network in Kazan, capital city of the Russian Republic of Tatarstan. The new network supports downlink speeds of up to 100 Mbps achieved in the lab tests. The move will enable Yota to provide new mobile broadband services, such as live 3D-video conferencing and full HD video streaming. Yota has invested US$20 million in building the Kazan network, which covers the city’s whole population of over one million people with 147 base stations.

 Yota, the wireless broadband company from Russia, has deployed its latest fourth generation (4G) network in Kazan, capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan — having installed the citywide network in just two months.

The network trial was launched with a number of live demonstrations proving wireless broadband speeds of up to 100mps (megabytes per second — in a lab environment) and a suite of next generation wireless services such as live 3D-video conferencing and full HD video streaming. Yota has invested $20 million in building the Kazan network, which covers the city’s whole population of over one million people with 147 base stations. Kazan is Russia’s third city and host to the Universiade (the world university games) in 2013.

In his address at the launch ceremony Yota CEO, Dennis Sverdlov, said: Today not only marks a success for Yota, but serves as a milestone in the delivery of next generation wireless services that will transform the way people live and do business.

Sverdlov added Yota is already expanding fast and deploying the latest 4G networks across a number of emerging markets worldwide. These particular markets are not hindered by the complexities of upgrading existing technologies, and don’t have any legacy of 3G premiums. As a result we will soon see these countries leapfrog the more developed Western economies when it comes to wireless broadband services.

Yota has invested $500m to date in the development of its latest generation 4G network covering seven cities in Russia and Nicaragua with more coming soon.

Sverdlov joined Nikolay Nikiforov, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Minister of Information and Communications of the Republic of Tatarstan to demonstrate to the media and public how the latest 4G technologies can change everyday life. Examples included:

  • Integrated emergency services — integration of emergency security and healthcare services to enable improved monitoring and management and optimise response times.
  • The future of education — live wireless streamed 3D lessons with lesson plans and multimedia content to improve educational opportunities for remote communities.
  • Improved healthcare services — remote access to patients’ medical records for healthcare professionals on the move allowing improved emergency response; virtual appointments via video call for patients in remote communities.
  • Public transport — live streamed video monitoring of the public transport network for improved security.
  • Full HD streaming — wireless streaming of full HD (1080p) video.
  • Speed tests up to 100mbps in a lab environment (with only one device running per sector).

Yota symbolizes a new generation in Russian innovation that stands to reshape the telecommunications market worldwide. Since commercial launch only 14 months ago, Yota already has almost 600,000 customers and recently reported 2010 half-year results of $66m. Yota runs successful operations in Russia and Nicaragua and will soon launch its services across Belarus and Peru.