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MegaFon turns on 3G in Ulyanovsk Region
MegaFon
Residents of the remote city of Ulyanovsk were no doubt thrilled when they heard that MegaFon had connected them to 3G.
Company engineers gave demonstrations at a special press-conference, showing how the technology could be used for remote video surveillance and high-speed mobile internet.
In the depths of economic crisis, rolling out expensive new services that require expensive new handsets in a remote industrial city may seem to many to be a rather bizarre move.
However, the company’s PR machine was firing on all cylinders, with no less than three remote TV crews connecting live to the press conference (presumably over the newly-activated 3G connection) demonstrating the beauty of the surrounding area.
Even the strong wind that buffeted the Dimitrograd crew was not able to interfere with the super-clear connection, according to this press release.
Another crew on the Volzhskiy Bridge demonstrated that there were no traffic jams, and just happened to suggest to the MegaFon specialists, live over the air, that it might be a good idea to provide the local traffic police with 3G phones.
They held the opinion that this would help them to inform drivers about jams and accidents and other information that would improve road safety. Presumably the traffic police would not be using the devices while at the wheel.
Ulyanovsk (Wikimedia Commons)
Rounding off the conference, the head of the technical department at MegaFon Alexander Aitaliev demonstrated to representatives of the leading press agencies how he could set up a video connection using only a MegaFon 3G modem without any additional communications equipment.
This reporter for The Daily Telecom feels that he missed a trick by not being there.
MegaFon deployed its first 3G network in Saint Petersburg and the surrounding Leningradskaya district on October 2nd, 2007.
This served as the sandbox for further deployments in major cities, which eventually led to the finely-honed 3G experience that Ulyanovsk can now enjoy.
The director of MegaFon Ulyanovsk stated, “Internet traffic consumption is constantly growing. This means there is reason to develop and improve these technologies. 3G is intended for high-speed data.
For the consumer, the launch of a next generation network means, first and foremost, fast access to fast Internet. Secondly, the advantages of multimedia capability – the ability to view streaming video via the Internet.”
He went on to say that 3G was created for the particularities of today’s world, and that major cities need next-gen networks just as much as they need air.
The logic behind this bold statement is that 3G maintains maximum voice quality even at peak load times and also lets you make video calls, i.e. you will almost always be able to use mobile internet.
Residents of Ulyanovsk are rushing to their local phone shops to stock up on 3G handsets.
Source: MegaFon