State-owned telco Uzbektelecom, which operates as Uztelecom, announced that it has launched its non-standalone (NSA) 5G network in all regional centres of Uzbekistan, and has teased plans to move ahead with 5G-Advanced technology soon.
Uztelecom said the 5G launch is part of the telco’s "Season of Renewal" project to modernize its mobile network that began in March 2022. Under that project, Uztelecom says it has modernized and commissioned over 3,500 base stations to date.
The telco launched a 5G trial in April 2023 in the capital city of Tashkent that utilised over 60 5G base stations.
"The launch of the 5G network across the republic was an important step in the modernization of the telecommunications infrastructure,” said Temur Mansurov, deputy director for the UzMobile branch of Uzbektelecom JSC, in a statement. “Now residents and guests of Uzbekistan can enjoy the opportunity of new generation technologies.”
Mansurov also said that Uztelecom will be “introducing a new step – the 5.5G standard” at next week’s ICTWeek exhibition in Tashkent, but gave no further details.
Thursday’s launch makes Uztelecom the first telco in Uzbekistan to launch NSA 5G. However, recently-privatised rival telco Rubicon Wireless Communications, a.k.a. Perfectum, aims to be the first in the country – and all of Central Asia – to launch standalone (SA) 5G.
Perfectum claims Vodafone partnership
Perfectum contracted Nokia in April this year as the sole supplier of its 5G SA network, and also tapped Qvantel to help monetise it. Perfectum said at the time it was aiming to commercially launch 5G SA in Q4 this year in Tashkent, after which it will roll out the service to the rest of the country within the next two years.
Since then, there have been indications that the launch may be delayed to early next year as Perfectum looks to rope global giant Vodafone into its plans.
Last month, according to local media reports, Farkhod Mamatjanov, founder of textile company UzTex Group (the main shareholder of InfinBank), claimed that Vodafone was seeking to enter the Uzbekistan market, and would do so via a partnership with Perfectum.
Mamatjanov – who reportedly made the remarks during a meeting on August 20 with president Shavkat Mirziyoyevon – said Perfectum aims to launch 5G SA as a Vodafone partner in the first quarter of 2025.
Mamatjanov also said that UAE-based Etisalat by e& is a technical partner in the 5G SA project.