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Russian Operator Expands to the Frigid North
Russia's Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) says that it has launched a GSM 900/1800
network in the Chukotka region in the Far East of Russia. Currently, the Company's
switching system in the region's capital Anadyr can service up to 300,000
numbers, although the local population barely tops 55,000. Increasing exploitation of mineral reserves should bring in far higher numbers in the form of migrant workers though.
All of the equipment meets the requirements for working under the extreme climatic conditions of the Russian north.
In the course of the year MTS plans to extend its network to Bilibino city and the Bilibinsky district. The company plans to provide services to enterprises working in the region, including oil and gas, gold mining and other industries, as well to provide coverage along the main rail lines and highways in the region. MTS is also opening a new service center in Anadyr.
The governor of Chukotka is Russian oligarch, Roman Abramovich who is also the owner of the UK based Chelsea football club.
"Our top priority is to take our relationship with the local subscribers to a higher level. MTS subscribers in Chukotka will now be able to take full advantage of our services: attractive tariffs to suit individual needs of every customer; innovative value-added offers with a high level of service quality and customer care, a unified payment system throughout the whole of Russia, favorable intranet roaming in all MTS regions; mobile Internet and other services," noted Vice President, Head of MTS Russia, Mikhail Shamolin.
The company has now covered 82 out of the 83 regions its has operating licenses for.
Posted to the site on 1st February 2008