OREANDA-NEWS. November 11, 2010. Conditions for using fourth-generation cellular communication standards in Belarus have been enabled. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko signed relevant decree No. 578 on 9 November, the press service of the head of state said.

The document has amended the existing regulations that specify the collection of fees for allocating radio frequencies when frequencies are taken away from existing users and the existing users are granted new frequencies as compensation.

The press service explained that the decree is supposed to improve the effectiveness of using radio frequencies and is supposed to make radio frequency bands available for new technologies.

If parameters of the previously allocated radio frequency bands that juridical persons and self-employed businessmen operate are changed without increasing the band’s range or other criteria, which are taken into account to calculate fees for allocating radio frequency bands, then the fees are not charged because business conditions for the existing user are not changed.

If the band’s range is increased, then the fee is calculated as a difference between the radio frequency allocation fees paid in compliance with the newly adopted and previous resolutions of the State Commission for Radio Frequencies under the Security Council of Belarus because business conditions for the existing user are changed.

The decree is supposed to encourage the deployment of a fourth-generation mobile communication network in the country.

4G cellular networks will allow Belarus to make a breakthrough in developing telecommunications, enabling radio frequencies to transmit data as fast as fiber optic landlines can, largely improving the accessibility of broadband Internet access among Belarusians and making the said services cheaper.

The decree comes into force after it has been officially published.