Today we cannot imagine our life without mobile communications, which is an attribute of almost every aspect of it. There are several major telecom providers that provide different kind services, and in this article we will help you figure out how to choose the most suitable among them. How to determine which mobile operator is better? We have compiled a rating especially for you. mobile operators Russia.

Best Mobile Operators 2018-2019

The demand for mobile communications is growing every year, and there are 4 major operators that fully satisfy this demand.

1. MEGAPHONE
2. BEELINE
3. Tele2

Each operator has both its advantages and disadvantages, which we will analyze in more detail in this article.

Operator rating cellular communication regularly investigated by Roskomnadzor, taking into account the opinions of users. The operator Yota, which occupies a significant part of the market, is not included in this rating, since it does not have its own towers and is a subsidiary of MegaFon. Yota rents towers from the leading players in the market, the coverage width suffers from this. The rating is compiled on the basis of many factors, among the most significant are the following:

• Mobile connection quality
• Mobile internet quality
• Percentage of delivered messages
• Service cost
• Network coverage level.

To assess the quality of services of a particular operator, we will use statistics.

cellular

The leader in this category is occupied by Megafon, whose communication quality tends to be absolute, having only 0.7% of failures throughout the network. The second place is occupied by MTS, slightly behind MegaFon, with 0.8% failures. A kind of anti-record holder is Beeline, having as much as 15.1% of failures. At the same time, Tele2, relatively young for Russia, has only 1.2% failures.

Mobile Internet

Regarding the speed of mobile Internet, the difference between operators is more noticeable. MegaFon is also in the lead here, providing a real speed of up to 14 Mbps. It is followed by MTS with 10.1 Mbps, followed by Tele2 with 9.4 Mbps, followed by Beeline (5 Mbps).


Despite the high speed, MegaFon cannot boast of a good number of successful connections via IP / TCP and HTTP, giving 3% failures in the first case and 4.4% in the second. MTS has the largest share of successful connections, with 0.6% and 0.8% of failures, respectively. However, it is worth noting that the speed of the Internet for each operator varies depending on the region of coverage.

Instant messaging

Here Beeline takes the leading position, showing the result in 100% of delivered messages. Tele2 is next, having 1.2% of undelivered SMS, MegaFon did not deliver 1.7%, and MTS did not receive 2.4%.

Coverage level

In this section, we will only consider 4G coverage, as it is difficult to determine the level of coverage for conventional communication, for the reason that some operators often rent towers from others, and it is difficult to estimate this figure. Consider the level of coverage in Moscow and the region - it is in this region that the highest density of 4G towers is.
In terms of 4G coverage, Megafon again showed leadership. Experts explain this by saying that this operator was the first to start installing LTE towers, significantly ahead of its competitors. The coverage density of 4G networks at Megafon takes a share of 32.2%. The second place, according to the research, is held by MTS with 30.9%, the third place in the study was taken by the MTS operator with 30.9%, the third - "Beeline" with a result of 28.8%.

Service cost

Each operator provides a huge variety of tariffs, we will not analyze all of them, but only compare the general characteristics. The cost of communication tariffs is dynamic, the average price tag in Russia for a package is 300-350 r / month. According to ComNews Research analysts, when using a small basket (lack of mobile Internet, a small number of calls and messages, focus on on-net calls), MTS became the most profitable operator. In other cases, which cover the majority of users (Internet, calls, messages), the best operator in terms of the cost of services, both according to experts and according to user reviews, is the Tele2 provider. The cost of an average package for all operators varies greatly depending on the region of service, and in the Far East, as well as the northern districts, the values ​​are uneven. If we take an assessment of the trends in the central regions, the cost of an average package varies in this order, from the cheapest to the most expensive:

1. "Tele 2"
2. "Beeline"
3. "Megaphone"
4. "MTS"

As we found out, each cellular provider has its own characteristics, and for this reason, many people use the services of several operators at once. Which one to choose is up to you, and it is important to make a choice taking into account your region of residence.

It is difficult to imagine today a person who does without cellular communication. Every day people call each other, send millions of messages, go online using mobile phones. Cellular operators are responsible for the quality of communication, cost and package of services.

List of telecom operators in Russia

There is no single operator responsible for mobile communications. There are more than a hundred active mobile operators in Russia. Some regional providers are subsidiaries of major Russian mobile operators.

According to statistics, among the leaders among companies providing mobile communication services are 3 - the "big three" providers - MTS, Megafon, Beeline. These companies have the largest number of subscribers, the largest coverage area, and a wide range of services.

1. MTS. The only "cell phone", which is included in the top 20 world leaders. According to the results of 2017, it has the largest number of subscribers in Russia (more than 78 million people), and taking into account the CIS countries, the number of subscribers is more than 100 million. It has the most extensive network of communication salons in the country (more than 5700 points).
2. Megaphone. There are more than 76 million subscribers in Russia, there is a great demand for Megafon SIM cards in Abkhazia, Tajikistan, and South Ossetia. The company positions itself as the operator with the fastest mobile Internet.
3. Beeline. The VimpelCom brand is included in the top 100 recognizable brands in the world. The number of subscribers in Russia reaches 59 million people, but Beeline is the leader in terms of the number of roaming countries and partners. This allows you to stay connected while traveling and save on roaming services.

The top popular operators include companies that are not included in the 3 "big three", but in terms of popularity they are a significant competitor. The rating of mobile operators includes both smaller companies, new ones, and regional ones. The very concept of the “big three” is becoming obsolete, because Other providers are also gaining market share:

• Tele2. At the end of 2017, it is the only company that has increased the number of subscribers. As a federal Russian operator, it has been operating since 2014 after obtaining a license for communication in 3G format. The operator's audience is at least 40 million people in 65 regions of the country. Most active subscribers are in Moscow and the Moscow region, St. Petersburg, Chelyabinsk and Nizhny Novgorod regions. It occupies the 3rd place in Russia in terms of the number of base stations, it is distinguished by fast mobile Internet due to low network load, as well as affordable package tariffs with the Internet.
• Yota is a virtual cellular operator. The brand has been in existence since 2008. Works on the technical infrastructure of MegaFon. The subscriber base is about 1.5 million people. Until January 2017, the only operator with unlimited access to mobile Internet, today tariff line includes only data-limited products for smartphones, while there are offers for tablets and computers with unlimited internet, the price of which depends on the speed.
• Rostelecom is an Internet provider and a company providing home wired communication services, cable television. The company offers its subscribers cellular communication in GSM 900/1800 and Mobile Internet.
• "Motive" serves only 4 regions in the Urals Federal District. This brand has been in existence since 2002. The company provides communication in GPRS / EDGE, IVR, MMS, SMS, USSD formats, it is not represented in Moscow.
• "SMARTS" is a Samara company. Communication in Russia is provided to subscribers from the Volga region and the central regions of the country. The list of services includes data transfer GPRS, CSD, communication in the standards GSM-900, GSM-1800, SMS, MMS.

Before making a choice of a mobile operator, each client must outline their own circle of preferences and identify requirements for mobile communications. Each provider is good in its own way, the best mobile operator can also be of regional status, if the package of services that it provides meets the needs of the client.

A list for communication in Russia, a phone code and a comparison of operators will help you choose the right provider.

Map of mobile operators

Communications companies are sensitive to increasing customer requirements. Now not only major players in the telecommunications market offer high-quality communication coverage. The appearance of new towers makes it possible to provide communication even to the most remote settlements; now you can use a mobile phone in the metro and in high-rise buildings. Operators provide not only high-quality and uninterrupted telephone coverage, but also fast access to the Internet via 3G and 4G networks.

Each company is struggling to retain existing subscribers and expand its consumer base, therefore, in almost every city there are salons where customers can not only purchase a starter package, but also receive qualified assistance or answers to their questions.

Each Russian company has a database of 11-digit numbers, by which you can determine the operator and regions for connecting the number. The possibility of switching from one operator to another, which appeared after the abolition of "mobile slavery", was not used by all subscribers, so the code table helps to determine where the unknown incoming "came from".

If the number is registered in Moscow and the Moscow region, then the unknown number incoming call easy to define:

Beeline does not have a clear link to the region, like other major operators. The company has separate codes only for the Far East and Primorsky Krai. And Yota numbers are not tied to the region, they all start with the code 999.

In the North-West region and St. Petersburg

Southern Federal District, including the North Caucasus

The tables show both codes calculated for all regions, and those that apply only in the specified city, district. But large operators have codes for certain areas, that is, cellular services will be cheaper only when using them in the home region.

The place of registration of numbers with codes 950, 951, 952 at Tele2 can be the Irkutsk Region, Khanty-Mansiysk Region, Lipetsk Region, Kursk Region, Perm Territory, Chelyabinsk Region, Kemerovo Region, Republic of Buryatia, Republic of Mordovia, Tyumen Region and Udmurtia.
Large operators have allocated separate codes for the Urals: 922 - Megafon, 982 - MTS.

What numbers do Russian operators use

The phone number of any Russian operator starts with 8, to dial in the international format you need to dial +7. However, within Russia, the call will be equally successful when dialing both from the eight and from +7.

After the international code, the prefix digits follow - this is the DEF code used in mobile networks. The prefixes of Russian operators start with 9, i.e. the general form of the code is always this: 9xx. For companies providing mobile communication services, one or more of these codes are allocated. This makes it possible to determine the operator and the region of the caller: 926, 916, 977 are Moscow numbers, and 911, 921 or 981 are St. Petersburg numbers.

For the "mobile trio" a series of codes are allocated, in which the second digits also coincide. For example, 91x or 98x are MTS numbers, and 92x or 93x are Megaphone numbers.

The next 7 digits are the subscriber's number, by which it is impossible to determine belonging to the region of residence or provider. The range of Beeline numbers can suggest belonging to the region if the same prefix is ​​​​used. Code 905 is used in St. Petersburg (range from 250-00-00 to 289-99-99), as well as in the Ulyanovsk region. (range from 183-00-00 to 184-99-99).

But sometimes only the initial digits of the subscriber's number help to determine the operator. For example, DEF-code 958 is used by more than 20 operators, among which there are both small companies (with coverage of 1 region and a capacity of 10,000 numbers) and large ones (several tens of regions and hundreds of thousands of numbers).

As an example: the prefix of the numbers of the TransTelecom company is 7958, but since the company serves 30 regions of the country, you need to know the initial digits of the subscriber's number in order to determine the ownership of the outgoing call (-00x-xx-xx - Bashkiria, and -03x-xx-xx - Kaliningrad region, etc.).

The same prefix is ​​used by Gazprom Telecom, Business Network Irkutsk, State Unitary Enterprise Smolny Automatic Telephone Station, Interregional TransitTelecom, Systematics, T2 Mobile, Central Telegraph, etc.

The numbering of DEF codes also changes as needed. Moscow MTS numbers were transferred from 495 to 985, and Megafon numbers from 495 to 925.

The telephone code that only Megafon uses is 920. The number capacity is more than 10 million, and numbers with this code are used in 17 regions of the Russian Federation.

The encoding used by Tele2 is 900. But the same code is used by another 16 Russian operators of various calibers in terms of capacity and coverage of regions - Antares, Arkhangelsk Mobile Networks”, “Ekaterinburg-2000”, “Kemerovo Mobile Communications”, “Sky-1800”, etc.

Tele2 is the largest of the companies using the 900 prefix: T2 Mobile is 17 regions and 3,140,000 numbers (the region is determined by the digits of the subscriber number), Tele2-Omsk is 3 regions (Jewish Autonomous Region, Omsk Region and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug) and 210,000 numbers, Tele2-St. Petersburg - 1 million numbers for 4 regions (Vologda region, Karelia, Pskov region, Leningrad region and St. Petersburg).

Best Rates

The ratings of companies providing cellular services are compiled not only taking into account the number of subscribers and the extent of the coverage area, but also the list of services provided by the company and the tariffs set for each position or the entire package.

The advertising campaigns of the four leading providers (MTS, Megafon, Tele2, Beeline) are aimed at attracting subscribers, therefore TV commercials vied with each other to prove that the tariffs of one or another company are the most favorable. Telecom operators' tariffs dynamically reflect the company's strategy, consumer preferences and industry trends. At the same time, archival tariffs also operate in parallel until the subscriber switches to a new price offer.

Budget tariffs

	MTS, SmartMini	Megaphone, "All inclusive XS"	beeline, "All for 300"	Tele 2, "My Conversation"
Cost, rub.)	250	250	300	240
Minutes package	250	200	350	150
Internet (GB)	1	2	15	2

In such a variety it is not difficult to get lost, but there is no universal tariff plan. It is more convenient and cheaper for subscribers to purchase a range of services - tariff packages that combine, for example, voice communication, SMS and mobile Internet. In addition to the services included in the package, you need to study the limits for them (GB, free minutes, number of SMS) and decide on the needs of the subscriber (mobile Internet, calls to home network, roaming, etc.).

imagine your life without mobile phones just impossible. And it is not surprising that a large number of companies have appeared seeking to provide us with such a service as mobile communications. They lure new customers with promotions, advertising campaigns, reduced rates. It is sometimes very difficult to understand their diversity. This article will consider mobile operators Russia, their codes and tariffs.

Top Operators

Mobile operators in Russia, which are leaders in terms of the number of subscribers:

• MTS. This operator operates in 118 regions of the country. It has over 177.5 million phone numbers in its database.
• Beeline, whose network is distributed in 185 regions. The number of telephone numbers is over 135.4 million.
• "MegaFon", which spread its network on the territory of 142 regions of Russia. It contains over 134 million phone numbers.

These mobile operators in Russia are the most popular among the population of the country.

Other mobile companies

In addition to those described above, there are many more operators that I would like to recall. The Tele 2 operator “crept up” to the leaders most closely. Its services are already used in 190 regions. It has almost 94 million telephone numbers. Rostelecom covers 234 regions. This is the best indicator in terms of the number of regions among all mobile operators. More than 61 million citizens use its services. Iota is present in 85 regions, where almost twelve million subscribers use its services.

Other mobile operators in Russia have up to ten million mobile numbers. These include:

• MGTS (three regions and 6.9 million numbers).
• "Motive" (five regions and four million users).
• ASVT (37 regions and 2.8 million citizens).
• Global Telecom (81 districts and two million subscribers).
• Global Tel (only one district, but one and a half million numbers).
• TransTeleCom (52 ​​regions and 1.4 million people);
• "K-Telecom" (known only in one region, it contains one million numbers).

Phone number codes

Codes of mobile operators in Russia, included in the top three, remain unchanged. They belong to each operator.

• Megafon owns codes 92X. To be more precise, the phone numbers of this company always begin with numbers ranging from 920 to 939, as well as 997 and 999. Phones from other operators cannot begin with these numbers.
• MTS begins its numbers with the numbers 91X and 98X. Exact operator codes: 901, 910 to 919, 978, 980 to 989.
• Beeline took the code 96X for itself. Full list The codes for this operator are as follows: 900, from 902 to 906, 908, 909, 951, 953, from 960 to 969.

Some codes of mobile operators in Russia may begin with the same numbers, but belong to different companies. For example, telephones of such operators as Beeline, Tele2, Sky Link, Motive can begin with code 900. Code 901 may indicate belonging to Tele2, MTS, Velcom, Sky Link, Sotel. These are just examples, and there are many similar codes.

Best Rates

Tariff plans without a limit allow you to actively communicate and visit the Internet. Among them, it is easy to find a suitable option for yourself. All unlimited tariffs of mobile operators in Russia can be divided into three groups:

• Small basket, which includes up to eighty minutes of free calls and one hundred and ten SMS.
• The average basket includes up to four hundred free minutes, two hundred and forty SMS and one gigabyte of Internet traffic.
• An expensive basket includes one thousand two hundred minutes, four hundred and twenty SMS, three gigabytes of Internet.

The small basket includes such tariff plans, how:

• "Super MTS" for 140.6 rubles from MTS.
• "Black" for 263.5 rubles from "Tele2";
• "Internet forever" for 269.3 rubles from "Beeline";
• "Megafon-All Inclusive XS 12.16" for 289.96 rubles from Megafon.

The following tariff plans of Russian operators can be attributed to the expensive basket:

• "All for 500" from "Beeline" costing five hundred rubles a month. For this money, the subscriber receives six hundred free minutes of outgoing calls, six hundred outgoing SMS and one hundred thousand megabytes of Internet.
• "Smart" from MTS offers five hundred minutes and SMS, three thousand megabytes of the Internet. And all this for 558 rubles a month.
• An alternative from the Megafon operator is the Megafon - All Inclusive M tariff, which costs 644 rubles per month. For this money, five hundred and fifty minutes, four hundred SMS and three gigabytes of Internet are offered.
• "The blackest" - a tariff from the operator "Tele2", which costs only 668.5 rubles. It is offered for this price one hundred minutes, one hundred SMS and six gigabytes of Internet traffic.

More detailed information about the tariffs offered by mobile operators in Russia can be obtained directly from representatives of these companies.