Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation & Aerospace announced the results of the country’s 5G spectrum licence auction, with both frequency blocks on offer won by a consortium of mobile operators Kcell and Mobile Telecom Service (Tele2-Altel) – both part of the Kazakhtelecom group. The two 1×100MHz blocks are in the ranges 3600MHz-3700MHz (Lot No. 1) and 3700MHz-3800MHz (Lot No. 2). The initial price for each lot was set at KZT1.76 billion (USD3.8 million), but local news site Profit.kz reports that as a result of competition, the price of Lot No. 1 increased to KZT62.7 billion, and the bid for Lot No. 2 rose to KZT93.4 billion.

Representing the winning consortium, Sergey Konkov, General Director of Mobile Telecom Service, noted: ‘By the end of 2025 Kcell and Tele2-Altel plan to build over 7,000 5G base stations.’