Changes: Russia

Revision as of 07:57, 15 March 2011

General

It is not so easy as it sounds. First, you need someone with Russian passport. Second, due to the often changes in local telcos plans it is takes time to find what you need. Real unlimited not easy to find. A lot of limitaions. You need to visit all 3 offices: MTS, BeeLine and MegaFon and check what is available. Very often 3G modem included in the package. Another option - buying a card at a subway entrance. Usually costs 100 rub and has some credit on it. No ID required, these cards are pre-activated to someone's (possibly fictional) name. The worst that can happen - the card turns out to be blocked and you loose your 100 rub (~$3). Usually it's okay though.

As of March, 2011, Megafon gives the best internet speeds and 3G coverage in Moscow.

Beeline

Beeline offers unlimited internet for 295 Roubles.

Just get any prepaid SIM card (you can buy it at any Cell Shops, which are plenty at big cities, names are Euroset, Sviaznoy and other). Ask for a SIM without prepaid data or calls. Add money to a prepaid card (you can do it at very convinient value adding machines, they are everywhere and even have english interface).

Then ask to turn on unlimited internet for 295 roubles. It will operate at home city only (I.e. Moscow if you buy in Moscow, Petersburg for Petersburg), and is valid for one month. At other cities there will be quite cheap home-network roaming (around 8 roubles per megabyte).

It offers 3G (up to 2Mbps) and EDGE. (iPhone and android is suitable, and thethring is allowed)

First 500MB ar at 2Mbps speed, and after that the speed drops to 64kbps.

MTS Rus

GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA

Web site (Rus): http://www.mts.ru/

Web Site (Eng): http://www.mtsgsm.com/

Unlimited Data Pack (БИТ, BIT):

Description (Rus): http://www.mts.ru/services/internet/bit/

APN: internet.mts.ru

Cost: 249 Rub/month (until 01.11.10 - 99 Rub/month), for tariff plan Ultra - 0 Rub/month

To activate dial *111*995#

Limitations: when hourly traffic exceeds 5Mb, data speed reduces to 32Kb/sec until the end of current hour. Valid only for subscribers in Moscow and Moscow region

Daily Unlimited Data Pack

Description (Rus): http://www.mts.ru/services/internet/unlim_bis/

APN: internet.mts.ru

Cost: 149 Rub/day

Duration: 24 hours since activation

To activate dial *111*2139#

Limitations: when daily traffic (sum of upload and download) exceeds 1024Mb, data speed reduces to 64Kb/sec until the end of this tariff option. Valid only for subscribers in Moscow and Moscow Region.

Data Feature Packs:

The operator, have some prepaid datapacks on your portifolio:

200mb (for 30 days): 450 Rub

300mb (for 30 days): 600 Rub

450mb (for 30 days): 800 Rub.

Unlimited internet at Night (30 days) - Happy hour time with unlimited traffic quota from 1:00 am to 8:00: 450,00 rub

Excess and oddpack:

3.45 Rub/mb - From 12:00am to 08:00am

8.45 Rub/mb - From 8:00am to 12:00am

Max speed: Up to 2mbps.

Other information:

Off-net and fixed landline:

1-5 minutes of call on day: 3,95 Rub/min

From 6 min on: 0,19 Rub/min

On-Net: 1-5 minutes of call on day: 3,95 Rub/min

From 6 min on: 0,17 Rub/min

Avaliability:

In some shops and MTS kiosks.

Teethering:

(Officialy) Allowed for the almost dataplans (excluding some post-paid dataplans).

iPhone/iPad specific information:

Unavaliable.

SIM information:

Regular Simcards Avaliable

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 ==General==
 It is not so easy as it sounds. First, you need someone with Russian passport. Second, due to the often changes in local telcos plans it is takes time to find what you need. Real unlimited not easy to find. A lot of limitaions. You need to visit all 3 offices: MTS, BeeLine and MegaFon and check what is available. Very often 3G modem included in the package.
+Another option - buying a card at a subway entrance. Usually costs 100 rub and has some credit on it. No ID required, these cards are pre-activated to someone's (possibly fictional) name. The worst that can happen - the card turns out to be blocked and you loose your 100 rub (~$3). Usually it's okay though.
+As of March, 2011, Megafon gives the best internet speeds and 3G coverage in Moscow.
-Another option - buying a card at a subway entrance. Usually costs 100 rub and has some credit on it. No ID required, these cards are pre-activated to someone's (possibly fictional) name. The worst that can happen - the card turns out to be blocked and you loose your 100 rub (~$3). Usually it's okay though.
 ==Beeline==