Uzdunrobita to invest USD35 million in 2006/07

Uzbekistan’s largest wireless operator, Uzdunrobita, has announced plans to invest USD35 million in the development of its GSM network in 2006/07, having spent USD50 million in 2005. Chinese equipment vendor Huawei has been contracted to install equipment to increase capacity by 630,000 lines. Uzdunrobita, which is 74% owned by Russian cellco MTS, claimed 670,000 subscribers at the end of March 2006, up from 580,000 at the start of the year.