Russian telecom giant Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) says it is suspending its services in Turkmenistan, effective on September 29.
The Russian firm said on September 29 that the decision to suspend services in Turkmenistan was made because the state telecommunications provider, Turkmentelecom, had cut MTS from the country’s international and intercity communications network.
MTS said it is currently in talks with Turkmen regulators in an attempt to obtain permission to use frequencies and other resources that would allow it to resume its services in Turkmenistan.
MTS Turkmenistan is MTS's subsidiary and the only foreign cellular operator in Turkmenistan that provides mobile-phone and Internet services across the country.
MTS began working in Turkmenistan in 2005, but suspended operations in December 2010 when its five-year license expired and the Turkmen Communications Ministry refused to renew it.
After an 18-month hiatus, it resumed operations rin May 2012.
MTS's current license in Turkmenistan expires in June 2018.
