Beeline Uzbekistan extends nationwide 4G coverage

Tashkent, The Gulf Observer: Beeline Uzbekistan successfully launched 1761 base stations this year, enhancing communications in 142 districts and 61 cities across the country. The digital operator is a part of the VEON international telecommunications holding with headquarters in Amsterdam and is a major foreign investor and taxpayer in Uzbekistan’s telecom business.

The digital operator focused on updating 2G and 3G base stations to fourth-generation network standards, boosting 4G coverage, and enhancing network capacity throughout full modernization in all regions of the country.

This integrated approach also included the modernization of the transport network, the upgrade of existing and construction of additional 530 radio relay lines, and an increase of the main fiber-optic communication line capacity. As of December 2023, the total number of Beeline Uzbekistan base stations exceeded 15,900, with LTE network coverage reaching 85%.

New base stations were installed and launched not only in major districts and densely populated cities but also in rural communities. Over 70 settlements in the Kashkadarya region received 4G coverage for the first time, and 15 small villages in Surkhandarya experienced fourth-generation connectivity.

This summer, the digital operator provided 4G coverage to remote and hard-to-reach villages where there was previously no connectivity, particularly in the Navoi and Fergana regions.

Additionally, the launch of five new base stations extended 4G coverage to remote mountainous areas in the Samarkand region. Eight base stations were installed in the Jizzakh and Tashkent regions, two of which run on a fully independent solar power system, enhancing 4G coverage along the railway.

Even the most isolated locations now have 4G access. A new base station was built 430 kilometers from Nukus, on the border with Kazakhstan, to provide LTE service for the first time in Karakalpakstan’s Beskupir village, Kanlikul district, and Abay village, Beruni district. Kumshungul settlement had the first 4G/LTE base station installed using site-sharing technology along highway 4R-176, which connects Nukus and Chimbay.

In major cities, special attention was given to improving mobile internet speed, expanding coverage, and increasing network capacity, especially in densely populated and recreational areas. The upgrading project in the capital included base stations near important marketplaces and shopping complexes, guaranteeing high-quality 4G coverage inside several shopping malls.

The digital operator’s new solution, the installation of Lamp Site equipment, which gives broadband mobile coverage indoors, enabled the launch of a 4G network in Samarkand’s largest shopping center. Additionally, a 4G portable Small Cell base station was launched at Silk Road Samarkand, ensuring quality coverage for the ethnographic park “Bokiy Shahar” (Eternal City).

The equipment upgrade enhanced internet traffic capacity, allowing more customers to access mobile internet. In comparison to the same period last year, the number of 4G users had increased by 11% by the end of November 2023, while internet users had increased by 7%. The volume of generated internet traffic grew by 54% over the 11 months of the current year, compared to the same period in 2022.

In addition to statewide network modernization, Beeline Uzbekistan initiated a large-scale project to implement VoLTE (Voice over LTE) and ViLTE (Video over LTE) services in just three weeks. The project, which started on October 19 in the Navoi region, expanded day by day to all regions. As a result, the new voice communication standard was available nationwide in the Beeline Uzbekistan LTE network by November 9. The new service’s key advantages include immediate connection, crystal-clear sound, high-quality voice transmission, and reduced background noise.

Another significant technical project of 2023 was the launch of the Beeline Uzbekistan network in the Tashkent metro. Digital operator services are now provided at all metro stations, even underground.

“We took another major step forward in network development this year. The launch of new base stations, the majority of which support the 4G standard with high internet speeds, and the modernization of previously installed equipment allowed us to improve the quality of services provided to our customers. Beeline Uzbekistan continues to actively implement digital technologies, focusing on the needs of residents and global trends, contributing to the country’s digitalization,” declared Mahmud Nodirov, Chief Technology Officer of Beeline Uzbekistan.

For a detailed list of the addresses of the Beeline Uzbekistan base stations installed, visit the company’s website.