Russian operator Rostelecom plans to launch the LTE test network in Penza by the end of August.

Russian operator Rostelecom plans to launch the LTE test network in Penza by the end of August. RBC daily reported that Rostelecom is set to start test network before September 1, citing a source familiar with the process of constructing the network. 

Apart from Penza, experimental  LTE network zone will be deployed in Tambov and Pyatigorsk as well. Operator will begin testing LTE with the use of radio frequencies in the range of 2.3 – 2.4 GHz this year.

In March Rostelecom had won permit to build a wireless broadband access network covering a third of the Russian population. The licences awarded each operator 30MHz of spectrum in the 2.3GHz-2.4GHz band for each constituent region. Under the conditions of the licences, the operators have 18 months to build and launch 4G networks using Russian-made equipment in their respective areas.