Which operator is better for your phone? The most truthful review of tariffs of Russian mobile operators. Tele2 My unlimited

Completed.

More than two tens of thousands of people have tested what their operator is capable of.

We found the best and the worst. Compiled rating. And now we will explain how it happened.

What did you expect: voting results

In the announcement of the test, we asked readers which operator, in their opinion, will become the leader in mobile Internet speed.

We place bets: who will win?

  • Megaphone
  • Beeline
  • Tele 2

23% MTS

47% Megaphone

6% Beeline

11% Tele 2

13% Yota

More than half of the participants predicted victory for MegaFon (54% ). Next came MTS ( 22% ), then Yota ( 12% ), and then Beeline and Tele2 divided the votes approximately equally (according to 6% ).

The active use of its LTE Internet clearly worked, since every second one expected him to win from the very beginning. The second place for MTS, even though it has the largest subscriber base in the Russian Federation, is surprising: expectations from the operator did not crush the “mega” even with a numerical advantage.

Reputation Yota and its purely nominal relationship with MegaFon helped the Blues take third place in terms of expectations. And from Beeline And Tele 2 People have not been expecting miracles for a long time, as demonstrated by the rating of expectations.

The editors' assumptions generally coincided with the reader's. The reality turned out to be predictable.

Let's move on to the test. How did you measure it, what results did you get?

We used a publicly available service OOKLA Speedtest Custom. For those who don't know, OOKLA is the most popular Internet speed testing site in the world, visited by more than 140 million people every month.

Through Speedtest Custom, we posted a public testing code on the site, from which we received data once every 24 hours.

This data partially anonymous– from them we cannot understand who exactly carried out the measurements. IP addresses are masked exactly half, and geolocation is recorded only at the nearest locality or areas.

What data did we see through the OOKLA test?


This is what the results table looks like. Latitude and longitude data, as well as some IP addresses, are hidden.

The sign that we received from OOKLA every 24 hours read: plenty of information, and it was not difficult to draw conclusions from it:

▪ User country

▪ User region

▪ User city

▪ 1/2 user IP address

▪ User's altitude and longitude

▪ Operator

▪ User's browser and its version

▪ user-agent of the user

▪ Technical name of the operator

operating system user

▪ Download speed, upload speed, lag, jitter

▪ Unique result identifier

Despite the depersonalization of the data, we made a decision do not publish the entire results table. It is impossible to predict what personal data other people will be able to extract from more than 22 thousand records. Yes, and you will be calmer.

Before taking the test, we repeatedly asked readers to turn off Wi-Fi on their smartphone and use exclusively mobile Internet. Some did not follow our advice. Therefore, we removed inappropriate results from the table before doing the calculation.

The final moment. We emphasize that the test does not pretend to be scientifically objective. After all, the site is a site with predominantly iPhone users, mainly from the capital.

We do not have 8 million measurements, like OOKLA at the beginning of the year. But there are more participants than VTsIOM with its typical 1.5 thousand respondents.

So the data is not out of thin air.

Take a look for yourself.

1. Which operator in Russia has the fastest mobile Internet?

1) Won Megaphone.

Download speed: 54 Megabit/s
Upload speed: 18.1 Megabit/s
Average lag: 38.7 milliseconds

2) Second place Yota .

Download speed: 40.3 Megabit/s
Upload speed: 15.3 Megabit/s
Average lag: 42.1 milliseconds

3) Third line for MTS .

Download speed: 28.4 Megabit/s
Upload speed: 14.5 Megabit/s
Average lag: 40.2 milliseconds

4) Came fourth Beeline .

Download speed: 24.9 Megabit/s
Upload speed: 15.5 Megabit/s
Average lag: 34 milliseconds

5) Last place – TELE2 .

Download speed: 16.1 Megabit/s
Upload speed: 7.8 Megabit/s
Average lag: 45.7 milliseconds

A comment: MegaFon has confirmed its claim of the fastest mobile Internet in Russia by a landslide. Nothing to add.

Next comes Yota, which is not surprising - a relatively young operator, new equipment, emphasis on LTE almost from the very beginning..

MTS is located strictly in the middle of all results. You can’t praise or scold, except for the discrepancy with your reputation in the preliminary vote. Beeline stood a little behind them, which will surprise few people.

But Tele2 struck, we did not expect such sad average speeds. These numbers are sad to look at. I don't envy subscribers.

2. What are the average results for Russia?

If you take all measurements, including home Internet:

Download speed: 53.1 Megabit/s
Upload speed: 41.5 Megabit/s
Average lag: 26 milliseconds

The results are exclusively by TOP 5 mobile operators Russia:

Download speed: 32.7 Megabit/s
Upload speed: 14.2 Megabit/s
Average lag: 40.1 milliseconds

A comment: download speed remains the weak point of the mobile Internet in Russia. But it's not that scary. Another thing is surprising: the download speed over cellular networks is only 40% lower than the overall speed in general.

So, slowly but surely, our LTE is catching up, and in some places even surpassing the home Internet in the average Russian home and office.

3. What does the TOP 5 mobile operators look like in terms of Internet speed?

Once again, now without numbers and more clearly.

1. Megaphone
2. Yota
3. MTS
4. Beeline
5. TELE2

A comment: Be guided by this rating when you choose an operator for mobile Internet. Especially if you live in large cities.

It is worth understanding that the numbers may differ specifically in your home or office. Therefore, before deciding to change the operator, you should run a couple of speed tests at home and at work, borrowing a SIM card from someone for the evening.

4. How many total results were included in the test?

We had 22.7 thousand participants, of which we eliminated 50%. These are results from other countries and with home internet. All tests whose geolocation and/or operator could not be determined were also separated.

As a result, the sign with five TOP operators in Russia totaled 11203 unique entries.

Of these by operator:

▪ MTS: 3285 measurements

▪ MegaFon: 2983 measurements

▪ Beeline: 2162 measurements

▪ YOTA: 1479 measurements

▪ TELE2: 1294 measurements

For successful business development, communication means play an important role. Since during a personal meeting they mainly discuss only key points, then discussion of working nuances takes place over the telephone. How much companies pay in such cases can only be guessed at. The way out of this situation was corporate tariffs from mobile operators, which, as a rule, are unlimited, and savings reach 60% compared to regular tariff plans.

Unlimited Beeline tariff in Russia Everything for communication Platinum is an ideal option for those who often travel on business trips around Russia. The main advantage of this service is absolutely unlimited calls with subscribers of the Beeline operator in any region of Russia, as well as 6,000 minutes of outgoing calls throughout Russia. Subscription fee for a direct number - 3150 rubles/month, for a federal number - 2600 rubles/month. The minimum advance payment required to activate the number is 500 rubles. In addition, the subscriber can exchange messages with friends and not be afraid that he will exceed the restrictions, since this tariff plan provides 6,000 free SMS and MMS messages. Customers also have access to 35 GB mobile internet traffic with a coverage area throughout the Russian Federation.

Unlimited in Russia is an excellent option for all subscribers who need to always be in touch from their mobile phone.

Unlimited roaming

Unlike the previous tariff plan, in the “Everything for Communication Platinum Light” tariff the monthly subscription fee is 1,700 rubles per month for connecting to a federal number. To some extent, this package can be characterized as a tariff without roaming in Russia, because the subscription fee already includes 3000 minutes for outgoing calls from anywhere in Russia, as well as for incoming calls while in intranet roaming. Among other things, the tariff includes 3,000 SMS and MMS messages for free.

Unlimited intercity

Mobile operator Beeline provides its subscribers with tariff plan“Unlimited in Russia” with a federal number. This tariff is beneficial for residents of Moscow and the Moscow region, since all outgoing calls from this region are free without a limit on the number of minutes. Outgoing calls in roaming are 9.95 rubles per minute. The subscription fee for using a tariff plan with unlimited intercity communication is 96 rubles per day.

Less expensive for long-distance calls is the “Country Without Borders” tariff plan from Megafon, which includes 100 free minutes for calls to numbers of operators in the region, including landline numbers, and 50 minutes for calls with subscribers located anywhere in Russia. In addition, the presence unlimited internet also a definite plus. However, the Beeline operator has a similar tariff: the “Russia Connected” tariff plan provides 240 outgoing minutes throughout Russia daily for only 95 rubles per day.

Introduce modern man without mobile device is no longer possible, and most of them have a built-in Internet connection option. Many function cellular communication to access the Internet is very necessary - this includes planning routes, communicating and sending multimedia messages in instant messengers, watching online videos and much more. Without these mobile internet features, our life would be very boring.

Many companies specializing in providing services mobile communications, offer their subscribers not only voice call services, but also special lines of tariff plans. They are perfectly optimized for the smartphone so that the client can optimize their costs as much as possible and receive a reliable high-speed connection. But there is also a large selection of special Internet lines for the tablet, that is, almost only with dedicated Internet traffic.

But which operator should you choose so that, as they say, everyone can get what was intended - the minimum cost and good quality of communication?

When choosing one or another line of tariff plans offered by a provider, you should pay attention to several important parameters at once, so as not to wait for hours for videos or other content to load:

  • To understand and understand the question of which operator is better for the Internet, you should understand that if a signal speed of up to 1 MB is provided, then online services TV views will not be available to you.
  • If video communication on Skype is expected, then the speed parameter should be more than 500 KB per second.
  • If you are a fan of browser games, then you need a speed of more than 256 MB.

In addition, the signal transmission speed for the mobile Internet to work well may also depend on physical parameters - the distance of the device from the cellular operator’s equipment.

You should choose Best offer which is on the market mobile transmission data, following these tips:

  1. You should select the optimal tariff plan from all operator offers, find good tariff, which will better suit your needs. For example, available daily or monthly traffic quota.
  2. Open the Internet on your desktop computer and view the coverage map of each selected operator to determine the best option for yourself.
  3. You can test each operator in practice, but to do this you will have to first purchase sim cards s and do speed testing online. You can determine for yourself whether the offer suits you or not.

Review of offers on the Russian market

Nowadays, when using the mobile Internet, many users abandon their usual smartphones in favor of tablets, so they are interested in current offers specifically for tablets. But we will consider options for both smartphones and tablet computers.

So, what attractive offers do different operators boast?

From MTS

This provider is very popular both in the Russian segment of the market and in neighboring countries, flexible tariff plans and many special offers for tablets and smartphones attract users. And the current competitive struggle for its clients has only spurred the company to develop and improve its telecommunications network.

Packages offered by MTS for the tablet:

  • The tariff is called “For a tablet”. It includes not only Internet traffic, but also a special television application from MTS, through which you can connect to the network anywhere. However, in the regions of the Far East there are restrictions for it, since the signal transmission speed does not exceed 129 Kilobits per second, and a quota of only 3 GB is allocated for 30 days. Connection price – 400 rub.
  • If you purchase the “MTS Kit for Tablet”, the user can return up to 20% of the funds already paid to his mobile account, although it also has speed restrictions and cannot work fully everywhere.
  • Tariffs "BIT" and "SUPERBIT" may also be suitable for a mobile device. The first offer includes only 50 MB of traffic for 149 rubles, and the second 100, but for 299 rubles.
  • Connect from MTS - this line is purchased only when purchasing a modem of the same name, but the speed indicator reaches up to 21.6 MB per second, and immediately after activation 699 rubles will be debited from the account, but after that the client will have to pay 600 rubles. monthly.

From Beeline

The networks of one of the largest operators operate in many countries of the former Soviet Union, and many of them have already mastered the new generation of 4G data transmission.

Beeline offers a whole line favorable tariffs Highway series:

  • With a dedicated 3 GB of traffic for 350 rubles/m.
  • 7 GB will cost 550 rubles.
  • 15 – already 850.
  • Well, for the most active ones, 30 GB is offered for 1,150 rubles.

At the end of the allocated limit, the user will not be blocked; up to 20 MB of traffic will be connected to him for the amount of 200 rubles. But you can not connect a significant monthly package, but use daily tariffs, for example, the company will allocate 100 MB of traffic for 19 rubles per day, or 500 for 29 rubles. You can switch absolutely free, but canceling the service will cost the user 45 rubles.

From TELE2

The rapidly growing company offers its customers probably the most profitable option for using SIM cards for tablet mobile devices:

  • The “BLACK” tariff includes 2 GB of high-speed Internet for only 200 rubles.
  • “VERY BLACK” includes 10 GB for RUB 399.
  • "BLACKEST" ​​- 10 GB + free tv for 599 rub.
  • “SUPER BLACK” for 1099 RUR. provides 15 GB of traffic at the highest speed.

From MEGAFON

It should be noted right away that the company uses only American or European equipment, so the rates are a little high, but this is compensated by an excellent signal even in the most remote regions of the country:

  • Tariff marked “S” for 390 rubles. will provide 2 GB, minutes for calls and SMS.
  • Under the “M” marker you will receive for 690 rubles. 6 GB.
  • “L” provides the opportunity to get 20 GB at a price of 990 rubles, while the traffic is divided into night and daytime.
  • The most expensive, but most voluminous package called “XL” will cost 1290 rubles. The subscriber receives 20 GB of traffic day and night, that is, 40 GB per day.

From YOTA

The operator has decided to exclude voice communications from Internet packages for tablet computers. The company positions them as completely unlimited, so the line of offers is based only on the amount of data reception limit in gigabytes:

  • For 400 rubles the client will receive up to 512 KB.
  • 700 rubles will allow you to download data at a speed of 1.7 MB.
  • For 900 – 5.0 MB.

The scale is progressive, how much traffic the user used, so much he will be required to pay, but in general we can state:

  • For the day you go online, the price will be 50 rubles.
  • For 30 days – 590 rub.
  • Per month – 4,500 rubles for completely unlimited use of high-speed traffic.

Conclusion

Megafon gets reception almost everywhere, Beeline and MTS have problems, for TELE2 the device must support the technologies of the new generation of networks, and YOTA so far copes well with its tasks only in the Moscow region.

When making your choice, we recommend checking the coverage area to be sure of receiving a signal from a particular mobile Internet operator. We also advise you to decide how much traffic you need per month, and based on this you can make a choice, automatically weeding out offers with an unnecessary limit for you.

Currently, there are four major mobile operators in Russia. Among them:

  • Beeline;
  • Megafon;
  • Tele2;

Additionally, there are many small organizations operating in the market. As a rule, small companies use the networks of large competitors. This type of cooperation is much more profitable for small firms, it is possible to avoid significant costs when creating a new operator.

Now let’s dispel people’s faith in numerous TOPs and ratings. Any good company that fights for subscribers has a promotion department. His task is to attract the attention of customers in every way and help increase popularity in the market.

Promotion departments also use “black” methods. Many companies simply buy places in ratings on various sites. If the site is independent, then another method is used - writing positive reviews for yourself and negative ones for competitors.

Despite complex system moderation and fake reviews still have an impact on independent ratings. Therefore, the real objectivity of various TOPs compiled on the basis of people’s opinions remains a big question.

As you can see, MTS has achieved significant success in attracting customers. This fact is due to the organization’s serious investments in promotion. Additionally, this company was one of the first to appear on the Russian market; it has a large network of base stations in the Russian Federation.

It is noticeable that the leading four are well ahead of their competitors. These companies have been operating in the market for a long time and have divided it among themselves. New firms simply have to “snatch” clients from the leaders, dump them and offer unique conditions.

People's rating

What is the best mobile operator in 2020? On the Internet you can find many TOPs that are somewhat different from each other. But we remind you that not all sites are independent and not all resources can be trusted.

Forming a popular rating is a complex process. It is necessary to collect reviews over a long period of time, check their reliability, weed out fraudulent ones, etc. Therefore, we decided to take the rating from an authoritative resource that can be trusted.

Unexpectedly, Tinkoff Mobile took first place. Most likely, this fact is due to serious investments in the formation of a really good operator and the desire to take away customers from competitors. This is the right step, since the Russian market is oversaturated with offers and it is very difficult to break into it.

Rating by quality and price

It is impossible to create an objective TOP based on communication quality! But why, you ask? The quality of mobile communications is an abstract and variable parameter. The level of signal reception depends on a huge number of factors; it can differ even within the same city!

The quality of communication is affected by:

  1. The number of subscribers located in a certain part of the city.
  2. Equipment used.
  3. Number of installed base stations.
  4. Type of networks used for signal transmission, etc.

With a stretch, you can determine the quality of the services provided by the popular rating presented above. It is compiled based on people's opinions of operators and reflects the level of customer satisfaction.

Comparison of tariffs of mobile operators in 2020

For comparison mobile operators You should study the tariffs offered by companies. Therefore, in the future we will consider the available plans for connection from major organizations.

Megaphone

Since there is a large amount of information to be processed, for your convenience we will compile a table with tariff plans from Megafon.

RateInternet (GB)minutesSMS (₽)AdditionallyFee (₽)
Get involved! Communicate20 600 1.8 Unlimited internet optional500
Listen20 400 1.8 Unlimited music and instant messengers370
Look+No limits1500 1.8 900
PremiumNo limits4000 No limits 2000
Look20 1000 1.8 Unlimited by option650
Write3 400 400 pcs.Unlimited traffic to instant messengers270
Speak3 600 1.8 Traffic to messengers370
Warm welcome12 ₽ for 100 MB.10 minutes for 12 rubles.2.55 0
Warm welcome S3 300 200 pcs.Traffic to messengers300
Warm welcome M500 1.5 500
Warm welcome L1000 1.5 900
Warm welcome XL2000 1.5 1200
Go to zero25 RUR per 100 MB4 rubles for unlimited to Megafon, 2 rubles/minute for other networks.2 0
Hello30 ∞ within the network, 30 to other numbers4 Traffic to instant messengers and social networks750 for two weeks
Promo10 300 minutes within the network, 1.8 ₽ to other numbers1.8 0
Smart things10 20 20 per week, 750 per year
Megafon OnlineBy option 0
Smart House50 5 rubles2 0
Internet without worries for tablet20 MB per dayAdditional 100 MB for 30 ₽0

MTS

MTS also provides a lot of programs for connection. Let's explore the available solutions.

Now let's look at the tariffs from Beeline (VimpelCom).

RateInternet (GB)minutesSMSAdditionallyCost (r)
EVERYTHING 15 200 300 Conditions can be customized13.33 per day
EVERYTHING 217 400 300 Conditions can be customized20 per day
EVERYTHING 322 1200 300 Conditions can be customized30 per day
EVERYTHING 430 2000 300 Conditions can be customized50 per day
Absolutely EVERYTHING30 5000 300 83.33 per day
Unlim500 2 ₽Watch video at max. speeds for 3 rubles per day20 per day
All for 1800+roaming15 3000 3000 Uniform conditions throughout the country1800
Absolutely EVERYTHING60 6000 6000 600 min for international calls6000
Zero doubts1.93 rubles on Beeline, 2.68 on other networks1.61 rubles 0
Second-by-second0.05 r/sec2.68 RUR 0
EVERYTHING 2 for tablet19 Unlimited access to social networks and music600
EVERYTHING 3 for computer30 900

Tele 2

RateInternet (GB)minutesSMSAdditionallyCost (r)
Everywhere online40 500 50 piecesUnlimited on social networks500
My online15 500 1.5 RURUnlimited on social networks400
My online+30 800 1.5 rubUnlimited on social networks700
My conversation2 200 1.5 200
My Tele25 Unlimited within the network, 1.5 rubles to other numbers1.5 7 per day
Premium50 2000 500 1500
My unlimited500 50 500
ClassicalBy option2 r1.5 RUR 0
Internet for devices15 GB for tablet/15 GB/25 GB/40 GB 499/400/600/900

Rostelecom

Now let's list the programs from Rostelecom.

RateInternet (GB)minutesSMSAdditionallyCost (r)
New story3 200 50 All the options presented below imply using the services absolutely free.220
The whole story12 400 50 400
Endless storyNo limits500 50 500
Family history25 600 50 700
For the Internet15 499
SUPER SIM FREE2 r1.95 RURAll services are paid.0

Yota

Yota has flexible conditions; setup occurs upon connection. The client can choose:

  • from 0 to 50 GB;
  • from 0 to 2000 minutes;
  • unlimited SMS and various applications;
  • maximum cost – 920 ₽.

DANYCOM

DANYCOM is a small company that does not offer many programs. But among the available solutions you can find a suitable option.

RateInternet (GB)minutesSMSAdditionallyCost (r)
Oxygen10 300 50 199
Nitrogen20 500 50 349
Neon30 1000 50 499
Helium3 r/MB5 kopecks/sec3 r 0

Motive

RateInternet (GB)minutesSMSAdditionallyCost (r)
Black10 450 50 250
INSTEAD OF! for 60015 100 + intranet unlimitedNo limits 600
INSTEAD OF! for 90030 900
INSTEAD OF! For 120050 300 1200

Fly

Letai is a company from Tatarstan. It enjoys some popularity in its homeland and was able to impose competition on the big four.

RateInternet (GB)minutesSMSAdditionallyCost (r)
Batyr1000 100 9 per day
Atlichny0.55 RUR0.55 5.5 per day
Own 2.0200 in Tatarstan, 100 in the Russian Federation1 r 9 per day
Your+20 per day 12 per day
New standard 2.050 0 RUR for calls up to 2 minutes1000 7.5 per day
Call 1202 150 150 120 per month
Time1 r/MB500 in Tatarstan, 100 in the Russian Federation1 rub 240
Access point1 ruble1 ruble 599
Call yours350 350 9 per day
Azan10 per day 8 per day
Second SIM card50 120 1 r 499 for 180 days
SIM card for internet5 50 per week
Second-by-second7 per MB4 kopecks per second1 rub 0

Vainakh Telecom

Vainakh Telecom is an operator from the Chechen Republic.

RateInternet (GB)minutesSMSAdditionallyCost (r)
Vainakh 200200 100 195
Vainakh 40015 400 100 295
Vainakh 60020 600 100 395
Vainakh 90035 900 100 495
Vainakh 300045 3000 100 1095

SberMobile

SberMobile is a subsidiary of Sberbank. This organization offers to customize the conditions yourself by choosing the appropriate content. The cost of services ranges from 200 to 1000 rubles per month.

Tinkoff Mobile

This company was created by Tinkoff Bank. The client is invited to independently choose the content available for connection:

  1. From 0 GB to unlimited.
  2. From 0 minutes to unlimited.
  3. Additional services without restrictions.
  4. Price – from 0 to 2596 rubles.

Wave mobile

Wave Mobile is a small organization that offers only three plan options. You can see them in the picture below.

WIN-Mobile

WIN-Mobile is a company that operates in Crimea.

RateInternet (GB)minutesSMSAdditionallyCost (r)
Fast and Furious15 GB3 rubles2 rubles 400
Is yours10 GB150 150 250
Freedom of communication60 per day within the network, 1 ruble to other numbers1.5 rubles 0
On the sea3 r1.95 RUR 0

Krymtelecom

Krymtelecom is another company serving the Crimean peninsula. It offers a number of programs, which can be seen in the image below.

Sevmobile

Sevmobile is a company that operates in Sevastopol. In the image you can view the available offers from this organization.

Rating of unlimited tariffs

One of the best unlimited tariffs from Beeline, Megafon and MTS. Today, these companies are able to offer optimal conditions for mobile communication services. It is important that they are represented in almost all regions, so niche solutions from competitors are not available to everyone.

Which mobile operator is better?

Many users ask: which mobile operator better? You will never find an exact answer to this question. When choosing, you need to take into account several factors:

  • quality of services;
  • price;
  • coating;
  • availability of suitable offers;
  • working with clients.

cellular

Communication quality for everyone large operators approximately the same. The winners in this parameter are MTS, Beeline, Megafon, and companies based on their networks.

Internet connection speed is not constant parameter. It depends on the signal reception level, load, and installed equipment. Recently, Megafon has been considered the leader in data transfer speed.

Instant messages

Nowadays SMS does not attract much interest among users. Text messages have long been supplanted by instant messengers; some companies have stopped adding them to packages.

Yota, Tinkoff Mobile and Sbermobile have good conditions. These companies offer to connect unlimited SMS separately if necessary. If you don't use text messages, then you won’t have to pay for them as part of the package.

Coverage level

In most cases, the level of coverage depends on the number of base stations. The rating of Russian cellular operators in 2020 for this indicator looks like this:

  1. Megafon.
  2. Beeline.
  3. Teke2.

Cost of services

In terms of cost of services, Tele2 and Yota win. Among federal operators, they are able to offer the most attractive prices to customers. If desired, you can choose good solution from smaller companies.

If we take into account the popular rating, in which Yota and Tele2 take second and third places, then these organizations can be called an excellent option for subscribers. Among their advantages: reasonable prices, good communication quality, large coverage area (Iota works on Megafon networks).

In the article:

Mobile communications is an integral life attribute of every person, providing free communication, correspondence and access to global network. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of cellular services, as well as to choose a more effective and convenient alternative for them.

At the same time, in the modern mobile communications market there are simultaneously several providers that compete with each other and constantly improve the quality and conditions of customer service. Based on official statistics, the most popular providers in Russia include Megafon, MTS, Beeline, Tele2, Yota. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, which determine their overall and subjective usefulness for subscribers. But in order for you to be able to make the final choice and decide for yourself which cellular operator is better, you need to know these weaknesses and strengths of cellular companies.

Internet assistant Tarif-online.ru will help you understand the difficult issue of choosing the best mobile operator for you, pointing out the pros and cons of each of them.

Let us immediately note your suspicions about the marketing component of our article. We are not going to advertise to anyone, but will operate only with facts and objective opinions of experienced users. Still, making the final decision about whose SIM card will be installed in your device remains entirely yours.

Which cellular company is better: description of operator features

It is logical to assume that the entire complexity of choosing an operator is based precisely on the determination of complex competitive advantages both in terms of communication quality and coverage area size, as well as the variability of tariff plans and level technical support. Therefore, let's take a closer look at the characteristic features of each of the providers.

MTS

Since 1993, the mobile operator MTS has been providing quality services communications and has established itself as a reliable and affordable provider. The company has the largest subscriber base (over 100 million people), promptly introduces advanced technologies, and actively develops high-speed mobile networks, provides a unified Internet experience for all devices.

Advantages:

  • High quality communication. Thanks to extensive experience in customer service and the use of modern telecommunications equipment, the operator guarantees stable and high-quality communication among dense buildings, inside and outside buildings.
  • Well-thought-out Internet tariff plans. MTS is always ready to offer favorable tariffs with a large volume of traffic for subscribers who need constant and uninterrupted Internet surfing. In addition, there is nightly unlimited or completely unlimited mobile Internet.
  • Developed roaming network. Long-term partnerships with national and foreign mobile operators allow MTS to provide its users with comfortable communications anywhere in the country and the world.

Flaws:

  • Relatively high tariffs for services. The issue of MTS communication prices is quite complex and confusing. In general, the company offers affordable and competitive rates. But some tariff plans that have similar functional content to competitors, nevertheless, cost the user more.
  • Insufficient coverage area. The provider's own network coverage is the weak point. According to this indicator, the company loses to both Beeline and Megafon. At the same time, the affordable cost of roaming services largely compensates for this shortcoming.
  • Low quality technical support. This problem is not unique to MTS, but is common to all operators. But it is in relation to MTS that it manifests itself most clearly due to its huge customer base. Getting through to a customer support center specialist is often not just difficult, but almost impossible. Those same users who actively use the provider’s self-service services (,) do not notice this problem. This suggests that against the backdrop of the growing popularity of online services, difficulties with dialing the MTS call center are gradually losing their significance and relevance.

Megaphone

Megafon is one of the undisputed leaders of the Russian telecommunications services market. The provider has almost 15 years of experience and during this time the number of subscribers has exceeded 90 million people.

Advantages:

  • The largest coverage area in Russia. Each subscriber of the company does not have to worry that in some corner of the country he will face the problem of lack of mobile communications. Even remote and sparsely populated areas of Russia are equipped with Megafon base stations. It is clear that with a low number of users, the costs of maintaining equipment cannot be fully recovered. But the company purposefully does this in order to have a clear advantage over its competitors and become the No. 1 provider in Russia.
  • Active implementation of advanced technologies. Megafon carefully monitors global trends in the telecommunications market and promptly introduces promising technologies and services. It was the first to provide mobile video capabilities and provide users with high-speed mobile Internet 4G+ at 300 Mbps. The reliability and stability of the company is also evidenced by the fact that Megafon became the official mobile service provider for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
  • High internet speed. We have already mentioned that broadband Internet access is high speed become a signature feature of Megafon. True, the situation here is quite specific and unusual for Russian realities. No, high-speed Internet has not gone away, but almost all full-scale tariff plans associated with it have gone to the new Megafon brand - the Yota company.

Flaws:

  • Weak technical support. Let's not dwell too much on this point. Let's say that the difficulties here are the same as those faced by MTS, as well as ways to solve them using online self-service services. After registering on the provider’s website, subscribers can use functionality that allows them to independently solve a huge list of problems in setting up communications, managing their account and tariff plan. The same capabilities are implemented in mobile application"Megaphone. Personal Area".
  • Confusion of tariff plans. Compared to other providers, Megafon has the most difficult tariff plan system for an untrained user to understand. The tariffs are quite confusing, payment varies greatly depending on the region, they provide for different tariff schemes when activating additional options, many of which have archival status. When choosing a provider, such a drawback may become key and force you to purchase a SIM card from another company.

Iota

Speaking about MegaFon, we cannot ignore its subsidiary brand Yota, which offers the best tariff plans in Russia with unlimited mobile Internet. Largely due to this, Megafon’s current tariffs do not have built-in Internet traffic packages. The calculation is simple: if you want high-quality and inexpensive Internet, buy a Yota SIM card, and Megafon will provide accessible communications throughout Russia. But recently, this advantage has been significantly reduced by the operator itself, which has already provided packages of minutes, traffic and SMS for new tariffs.

Advantages:

  • High-speed Internet at low cost. For just 100-150 rubles a month you can get unlimited access to social networks and instant messengers. Data transfer speed reaches 20 Mbit/s.
  • Affordable tariffs. Despite the bundling of services, Yota tariff plans remain inexpensive and well-filled. For example, 5GB of Internet traffic and 150 minutes of calls throughout Russia will cost only 250 rubles per month.
  • Transparent prices. In this regard, Yota compares favorably with Megafon, offering clear descriptions of tariff plans.
  • Roaming-free space throughout Russia. This is an important and necessary feature of Iota. When leaving your home region for up to 30 days, there is no need to worry about increased costs due to roaming. Throughout the month, the operator provides mobile communications and Internet services at prices in your home region, regardless of your place of stay.

Flaws:

  • Virtual operator factor. Yota subscribers are completely dependent on the serviceability and workload of Megafon equipment. This must be taken into account when choosing a second SIM card in order to increase communication reliability.
  • Insufficient coverage area. The Yota provider is a developing brand and is not yet able to cover the same regions as Megafon. But the significance of this disadvantage is decreasing every day as the service area expands.
  • SIM card differentiation. It is impossible to use the same Yota SIM card in a smartphone, tablet, modem or router. Each type of device has its own separate card, and it is impossible to “deceive” the network, since the equipment is identified by the IMEI number.

Beeline

The Beeline company is also an old-timer in the domestic mobile services market, having started its activities back in 1993. The operator's customer base exceeds 60 million people and is constantly expanding due to favorable tariffs and new loyalty programs.

Advantages:

  • Variety of tariff plans and service options. Each user can easily select the optimal tariff plan for themselves within the planned mobile budget.
  • Promotions and bonuses. Beeline, like no other provider, constantly offers its customers various discounts, promotions and bonuses. For example, you can connect to the premium Viasat TV package with a 25% discount, purchase modern devices on credit without overpayments, receive an additional traffic package for replenishment or an individual tariff offer, etc.
  • Timely and competent technical support. Despite the fact that it can be difficult to reach the Beeline call center, subscribers can always count on a high-quality and professional solution to their problems. In addition, a mobile online self-service service is always available to users.

Flaws:

  • Malfunctions. Frequent negative reviews on the Internet indicate periodic technical failures of the provider’s equipment. It gets to the point where even checking the balance using the USSD command becomes unavailable. To be fair, we note that Beeline quickly fixes problems that arise.
  • Expensive roaming. This is one of the main disadvantages of Beeline. Leaving home region, the subscriber must be prepared for sharply increased costs for poor communication.
  • Poor quality of communication far from cities. Beeline does not strive to install base stations in places that are unfavorable from a monetization point of view. Therefore, as you move away from the city, the network signal begins to weaken sharply.

Tele2

We will not particularly highlight the advantages and disadvantages of the Tele2 provider. It is a legacy of Swedish investors and is now owned by the Russian financial group VTB. The company has only one obvious drawback - a relatively small coverage area. As a result, subscribers had to constantly deal with rather expensive national roaming. Recently, this problem has been solved quite effectively through the connection of a special service “Zero Everywhere”.

Low price tariffs and high-quality communications allow Tele2 to constantly increase its subscriber base, which now numbers almost 25 million users and provides the operator with 3rd place in the ranking of the most popular mobile operators in the country.

Finally

We hope that this review of the online assistant site helped you in the difficult task of selecting a provider. The final choice depends on your personal preferences and the evaluation criteria you put forward for reliability, availability and variety of the required mobile services. We would like to add that many users use several SIM cards from different operators at once in order to receive the highest quality communications and Internet.

Video: choosing the best mobile operator

04-07-2017

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