Foreign partners of Altel invested $20 mln in mobile communication of Kazakhstan

/IRBIS, Jan.19, 00/ - REUTERS informs, with the reference to vice-president of the company Mikhail Grishkov, that foreign partners of Kazakhstani company Altel, which provides mobile phone services, invested $20 mln in the development of mobile Amps/Namps network during 5 years. "Foreign partners have invested $20 mln. Kazakhtelecom provided with land- based network, which is also important", he said. The company received the government license for 15 years to develop the national mobile phone network in 1994. Two companies - Kazakhtelecom and Metranedia International Corporation own 50% of company shares each. Motorola is the supplier of the equipment. The company's license was exclusive until February 1999, when Kazakhstani mobile service market was opened to other companies that work in GSM standard. Grishkov said the company was considering introduction of digital communication format. However, it is not going to be GSM, informed he, since "it would be foolish for three companies to work in the same format". He also said the company controlled more than 50% of mobile market of Kazakhstan with about 35 th. subscribers. The company has also developed discounts to its clients and today journalists were able to familiarize themselves with them.