Sonic Duo, the Russian subsidiary of Finland's Sonera, has received a Russian Communications Ministry operator's license for GSM-900/1800 standard cellular services in Moscow and the surrounding region.

Sonic Duo's strategic partner is Central Telegraph, a source at the communications ministry said. The ministry licensing commission's investment terms for granting the third GSM license in Moscow region envision that the Finnish company will invest up to $300 million in the development of the region's telecoms infrastructure over the next 18 months to two years. Part of this money is to be used to set up production of mobile phones in Russia, and the government will receive several tens of millions of dollars for social programs, the ministry official said. The license was granted for a period of ten years. The GSM 900/1800 network is to go into operation on June 1, 2001.