MTS wi-fi goes underground

Russian mobile phone operator, MTS, is looking forward to expanding wi-fi coverage at several Moscow metro stations, in foyers and passageways, and along the escalators, Pavel Roitberg, Director of Product Development at MTS, told TimeOut magazine.

“Currently we ensure prepaid wi-fi connection at several stations of the Moscow metro which are Okhotnyi Ryad, Tyeatralnaya and Ploshchad Revolyutsii.”Along with mobile connectivity, Internet access is becoming crucially important in today’s world of high mobility and rapid pace of life. Providing better wi-fi coverage in the metro is vital, as many opt for the underground due to growing traffic on the roads. At present, underground connections are poor due to the large distance from connectivity stations. Roitberg says 3G line equipment has already been installed along the entire circle line of the Moscow underground, but access to the line has not yet been agreed. “We just lack the approval from the heads of the Moscow Metro, who we’ve already been in talks with for several months.”Sales of computer gadgets and mobile devices supporting wi-fi technology are booming in Russia, signaling wireless service expansion and increasing demand. Experts believe that by the end of 2015, approximately two-thirds of all connections to hot spot wi-fi will be made through mobile phones and tablets.MTS is also on the way to introducing a new way of paying for metro passes, which involves only a mobile device from one side, and Near Field Communication technology on the other.