March 7, 2007 at 18:33In the Moscow subway appeared Wi-Fi
Commercial Wi-Fi Internet was offered to passengers of the Moscow metro by Comstar - United TeleSystems . According to the press service of the company, the networks operate at three subway stations - at Okhotny Ryad, Teatralnaya and Ploshchad Revolyutsii. The nearest plans of the provider are to cover all transfer stations, as well as to implement a similar project in St. Petersburg (there are still testing work being carried out at both stations of the Technological Institute).
Owners of PDAs, smartphones and other devices, being in the subway, will be able to go online at a speed of 128 Kbps. The network bandwidth of 21 hotspots is designed for simultaneous connection of 48 users. The coverage area covers the halls, transitions between stations, vestibules and escalators. It does not yet apply to hauls between stations.
For one hour of access to the network, users need to pay 4.75 cu (tariffing per minute). For payment, you can choose scratch cards “Wi-Fi-Comstar” or SMS authorization service available to MTS subscribers.
The company determined the size of its investments in the first project stage at $ 300 thousand, Kommersant reports .. By the end of the year, according to plans, the network will expand to 300 hotspots. The construction will pay off within two and a half years, Comstar estimates.
Experts believe that the operator will be able to earn about $ 200 thousand per year on Wi-Fi in the metro. The IKS-Consulting agency, which gave this assessment, takes into account that out of 7 million daily Moscow passengers, at least 500 will use the Comstar service. Competitors have a different opinion, considering the project risky. According to them, it is difficult to imagine a person who stands on the platform during rush hour and works with a laptop.
Owners of PDAs, smartphones and other devices, being in the subway, will be able to go online at a speed of 128 Kbps. The network bandwidth of 21 hotspots is designed for simultaneous connection of 48 users. The coverage area covers the halls, transitions between stations, vestibules and escalators. It does not yet apply to hauls between stations.
For one hour of access to the network, users need to pay 4.75 cu (tariffing per minute). For payment, you can choose scratch cards “Wi-Fi-Comstar” or SMS authorization service available to MTS subscribers.
The company determined the size of its investments in the first project stage at $ 300 thousand, Kommersant reports .. By the end of the year, according to plans, the network will expand to 300 hotspots. The construction will pay off within two and a half years, Comstar estimates.
Experts believe that the operator will be able to earn about $ 200 thousand per year on Wi-Fi in the metro. The IKS-Consulting agency, which gave this assessment, takes into account that out of 7 million daily Moscow passengers, at least 500 will use the Comstar service. Competitors have a different opinion, considering the project risky. According to them, it is difficult to imagine a person who stands on the platform during rush hour and works with a laptop.