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Russia's Svyazinvest Says Qualcomm Equipment Too Expensive
Moscow, April 8 (Bloomberg) -- OAO Svyazinvest, Russia's holding company for its regional phone operators, said equipment produced by Qualcomm Inc. is too expensive and it may seek another supplier for a project to install wireless phone networks.
Qualcomm, which already supplied equipment installed in the Saratov region, was intended to supply some equipment for a project involving U.S. phone network operator Leap Wireless International Inc. and Russia's Tass Telecom to install $500 million of wireless phone equipment across Russia over the next several years.
''Qualcomm equipment costs 30 percent more than the equipment which could be provided by NEC Corp.,'' of Japan, said Nail Ismailov, general director of Svyazinvest, which holds majority stakes in 82 of Russia's 89 regional phone companies.
The new project, known as Metrosvyaz, aims to install networks in about 50 of the regions. Only 19 households out of every 100 in Russia has a phone, compared with 60 per 100 in the U.S., and wireless phone systems could be a way to hook up individuals waiting for phone service faster.
So far, 12 regions are ready go join the project, said Ismailov.
08:52:17 04/08/1999 |
