Tele2 to cover all Kazakhstan cities in 2012

Tele2, pan-European telecom operator providing a range of services including fixed-line and mobile phone, cable TV, data transactions, and internet access, plans to cover all Kazakhstan’s cities throughout 2012, Tengrinews.kz reports. In 2011 the Company’s customer base in this country reached 1.4 million people. According to the Company’s Chairman of the Board Andrei Smelkov, the services are available in all the country’s regions except for Southern Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda and Atyrau. In 2011 the number of base stations across the country expanded 2.3 times and is to further grow by another 1.5 fold this year, making the network available to 80% of the country’s population (currently the figure stands at 70%). Mr. Smelkov added that Tele2’s entry into the Kazakh market forced competitors to significantly reduce their tariffs. Despite that, revenues of the three major mobile carriers in Kazakhstan have seen growth. The Company’s 2011 profit made up $53 million, whereas expenses to construct the network amounted to $139 million. The Company plans to reach the even point within two years’ time.