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Cellular communication services are presented by the company «Kuzbass cellular communications», «SOTEL», federal network operator in Kemerovo region.
Kuzbass Cellular Communications, the SOTEL federal cellular network operator in Kemerovo region, is one of the leading companies of the Holding. In Kemerovo region in only five years the network covering practically the whole territory of the region.
In 2002 the cellular communication market of Kemerovo region developed quite dynamically, to a great extent due to Kuzbass Cellular Communications. The company's subscribers base increased by 45% as compared to the beginning of the year.
In 2002 new towns of the region joined the SOTEL network, namely Mariinsk, Gurievsk, Inskoy settlement, the coverage area increased in Kemerovo, Novokuznetsk, Lenisnk-Kuznetsky and Mezhdurechensk. Besides, the whole Federal length of Moscow-Vladivostok route which passes through the territory of Kemerovo region is provided by SOTEL cellular communication. Hence, our network in Kuzbass spreads over the territory of over 25,000 square metres housing about 95% of the region population. At present the company's subscriber can use automatic roaming in over 800 cities of Russia.
Now all the people of Kuzbass are the citizens of SOTEL City, i.e. any subscriber of Kuzbass Cellular Communications being at the territory of Kuzbass can use SOTEL City service which was introduced in 2002 and make telephone calls to any point in Kuzbass at local tariffs. Meantime, new service has been introduced called 'Hello' which allows to save money to those subscribers who speak on cellular phone more than 5 minutes a day. SMS service has become quite popular among our subscribers since following the service activation Kuzbass Cellular Communications allows to its subscriber to send and receive short messages absolutely free.
The following services are especially popular among the Kuzbass people:
- Mobile exchange (communication with any subscriber of the Federal SOTEL network via 24-hour dispatcher line in any part of Russia);
- Free entrance call from a SOTEL mobile;
- A call from any city telephone to a mobile is considered as local even if the holder of the cellular phone is in another city within the country or abroad;
- A subscriber's personal account can be replenished whenever it is convenient time by means of advance payment card;
- ANI (Automatic Number Identification) works everywhere including roaming.
The SOTEL tariff policy aims to satisfy the requirements of all subscribers categories, it is based on the tariff plans with per second pricing including no-subscriber fee tariff. In 2002 the Company widened the tariff plan boundaries for corporate clients by offering rather low prices at per second pricing and special prices on additional services.
On the threshold of the 60th Anniversary of Kemerovo region, Kuzbass Cellular Communications has started to implement Programme 3000 aiming to provide with stationary phones all the needy people of the region. Special tariffs have been developed which were cheaper than tariffs for mobile phones. Stationary mobile phones were provided to veterans and other preferential categories. People from districts where there is no telephone line or which are hard to access, procure telephones and can employ all the advantages of cellular communication having a stationary cellular phone.
In 2002 Kuzbass Cellular Communications participated at the All-Russia Competition «100 Best Goods of Russia 2002» and was awarded the prize. The Company was announced the winner in the nomination 'Services' for the largest cellular communications NMT-450i standard service area at the territory of Kemerovo region.
In the year 2002 Kuzbass Cellular Communications embarked the new path of 3G communication network construction. In July 2002 the Company was granted the permission to use radio frequencies for the purchased imported equipment of CDMA 2000 standard intended for creation of common use mobile radio cellular network at the territory of Kemerovo region. Thus, construction and launching of the 3G network in Kemerovo region is the next phase of the Company's development.
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