Sistema Shyam gets first Unified Licence for telecom services

Telecom service provider Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL) Friday announced that it has received its Unified Licence from the government that will allow it to do liberal use of telecom technologies for providing latest services.

SSTL provides telecom services under the brand name MTS. It is a venture involving equity participation by Russia's Sistema, the Russian Federation government and the Shyam Group of India.

"We are delighted to get the Unified Licence. This is a positive development and would bring clarity in the operating environment for the company. We are now looking forward to the allotment of the third carrier of spectrum that we had won in the March 2013 auctions," Dmitry Shukov, chief executive officer, SSTL, said in a statement.

The firm said the Unified Licence will enable it to provide technology neutral telecom services for a period of 20 years. "SSTL becomes the first telecom operator in the country to be a part of Unified Licensing regime," it added.

SSTL has been granted licence to provide telecom services in eight circles - Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Kolkata, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh (West) and West Bengal. In addition, SSTL's footprints also cover the Rajasthan circle.