3G-network in Samara was launched in late August and 3 September is officially in the commercial exploitation. “Feel” the system of the third generation with his own hands was a very interesting and informative, because to Moscow this whole 3G-Grace gets more distant.

Correctly says that “it is better to see once …” and himself as follows errands in one place, than to study press releases and local telecom forums. Any test zone and pieces 3G-networks at the exhibition allows us to get some idea of the system, but during the demonstrations in the test areas and everything works great, who would doubt. But in the real-life conditions on the current and begin to identify a busy network of interesting features.

Who needs all those 3G?

Correct, “ideologically” response – need millions of consumers who dreams of a video call, fantastically fast internet, unusual voice quality and a set of new additional services. What is it? When I try to answer this question is usually a deep thinking, and not in vain. In principle, the new 3G-services are almost there, although many services such as mobile TV is finally earn a normal quality. Almost the only exception – video call, which is possible only in the third generation networks. But everything with him was not so simple. Video call waiting with impatience and marketers diverted him to the role of the very wonder-Service (killer application), which formed a queue in shops and offices of operators for new pipes to support 3G. However, in Europe the real statistics of all in its place: does not want to use the video call was wildly popular. Even in the face of its advertising promotion price of a standard call. Few wanted to show his own face during a call that humanly understandable. And if the morning on Monday a call from the boss? No, these video calls to us absolutely nowhere. Although the service itself can be very even to please a unique “postcard” and cover the interesting events, the effect of presence is worth a lot. Indeed, nobody makes it include the front camera and show your own face, the surrounding reality is much more interesting. Although it is not to avoid surprises, like a call from his beloved wife: “Come on show us what have you got for the term project, because of which you at nine in the evening for another job?”. By and large, the mythical miracle service to look to anything and do this long since ceased, concentrating on highlighting the delights of fast mobile Internet. And rightly so, in the 21 st century the Internet is quite capable of take care of himself and then give everyone just what he needs.

Third-generation network operators need no less than we do with you. Rather, even more. Conventional second-generation GSM networks operate a certain range of frequencies and this range in the big cities is no longer enough catastrophically. A “stretch” is not possible, the tube still does not understand, because 20 years ago with the development of a standard no one anticipated such a number of simultaneously speaking subscribers. Pere-use of frequencies, reduced power BS with a simultaneous increase in their number and other technical gadgetry come to the rescue, but in metropolitan areas have not always save. As the mobile Internet, then in a heavily loaded 2G-network with no problem. In the sense that it is not, of the mobile Internet. Icon GPRS / EDGE on display there and kind of connection happens there, and the data are not transmitted at all or just drop by drop, all channels are distributed under the voice. And with such a situation we are facing with increasing frequency. This affects users who loses their income statements. The only radical solution – the 3G network with new ranges of frequencies and new opportunities to build the number of subscribers and provide them with data services without interruption and lengthy “fading”.

Price issue

New speed mobile Internet services are simply obliged to generate new revenues. Favorite journalists’ questions at press conferences: “Will you raise the price of services to 3G? At which representatives of operators happy and proud to answer: “No, the prices remain the same.” Even though they do not remain the same! The trick is that now the data rate for GPRS-connection is a natural constraint on 3G this restriction removed. Yes, all sorts of technical and tariff tricks you can try to deceive the consumer, this in one way or another sin all operators. Writing natsedit cup internet under a thin stream of GPRS-connection, and the money to tear off as a couple of mugs. In the third-generation networks, data pouring stream and consume them, we’ll buckets, “the Internet is not a lot. Today, people cut off in the smartphone browsers display images and use Opera Mini to speed up loading of conventional Web-pages, tomorrow will be watching videos on YouTube. Megabytes of data transferred – no service, and charging the unit, maintaining the old price per unit of traffic for us with you will mean a significant increase of prices of mobile internet. For service naturally comes to a qualitatively new level, and in terms of consumed units of “heavier” repeatedly. Total couple of years ago at the cost of sending SMS-messages accounted for 70% of the total value-added services (VAS), now the situation is different. According to representatives of Beeline in Samara, revenue from mobile internet has reached 50% of total value added services and the extent of market saturation 3G-devices, this percentage will increase, and the numbers grow VAS revenues. As a start “zavlekalochki” Beeline offers connecting all subscribers to 20 megabytes of free traffic (as usual, first wrote the GPRS-traffic), further “optimize” the costs of proposed purchase of Internet packets or connection to the tariff the Internet at home “and purchase a 3G-modem .

Another aspect – Russia’s specificity. Paradox: the operator primarily interested in the development of 3G services in metropolitan areas, and for Russians to speed third-generation contrast is more important in the outback. It’s no secret that quite often broadband internet by wire is not available even in suburban towns, not to mention the remote towns and villages. The only “window to the world” – mobile, or satellite internet access, in this case the speed and comfort of 3G will fall more than welcome. The inherent specificity of Russia’s concerns and an almost complete lack of real competition in broadband access in small cities and towns, new entrants to the market just do not let “interested” representatives of local administration. And a select few Internet providers for this population are encouraged absurdly high prices. Fortunately, the impact on radio wave propagation administrative levers difficult, so the prospects of mobile broadband access in small towns can be surprisingly good.
Appliances

3G network in Samara is built on the equipment corporation Huawei, now in the Samara network segment (soon expected to launch in Togliatti) operates about 100 base stations of 3G. Stated coverage area with a population of 80% of the population of Samara. According to the representatives of Huawei, stei involved in cutting-edge engineering solutions, including distributed base stations, DBS (Distributed Base Station) with remote transceivers. In the process of testing the network were achieved speeds of 6,5 Mbps for receiving and 1,9 Mbit / s data transmission. Feasible, affordable user rate of data acquisition to date should be 3.6 Mbps.

According to the Beeline, in Samara network currently around 12 thousand subscribers already walking around with 3G-terminals. And it is only those phones and smartphones, which includes automatic network selection 3G. Presumably, with the advent of the appropriate number of commercial 3G-terminals in the network will grow.

A serious obstacle to the penetration of 3G «to the masses” – a relatively high price of handsets. But not far off appearance on the market a sufficient range of budget models, because 3G support has ceased to be a sign of “elitism” apparatus. In the picture – very nice inexpensive piece Huawei, which today might sell us at a price below $ 100.
How it works

Works fine, but not without criticism. With voice communications in 3G is OK, the subjective voice quality is very good, sound is softer and more natural than in GSM. Although up to a good analog connections “by wire” does not seem to fall short. But the voice – he has a voice, 3G, we with you are not interested in that. Video call in the network works, and as “zavlekalochki” This additional service is not charged, ie service is still available for the price of a standard voice call. Regarding the transfer of data, everything is much more interesting.

Plenty urging 3G-modem in a local SIM-card, including using the very same gift 20 MB of traffic. We were pleased with the stability pere6dachi data, but claimed 3,6 Mbit / s “pull” from the network I did not succeed.