Investments of GSM operators into Kazakhstan - $120 mln in 1998-1999

/IRBIS, Feb.16, 00/ - REUTERS informs, with the reference to the head of K'Cell Halyuk Ege, that investments of one of the operators of GSM standard in Kazakhstan, K'Cell reached $120 mln beginning from October of 1998. "Investments reached $120 mln within a year (of the company's activities in Kazakhstan), and it is just the beginning", said the head of the company. The company was established as a limited liability partnership in 1998. It began to service mobile phones from February 1999. The Turkish Turkcell (51%) and Kazakhtelecom (49%) are the founders of the company. There is no information on possible investments in the year 2000. However, it was said about $20 mln would be invested in new base stations. Halyuk Ege said his company has paid KZT160 mln to the country's budget by the results of the year. In 1998 the company has obtained the license from the government of Kazakhstan for 15 years to use the radio frequency spectrum for offering mobile telephone services in GSM standard.