Russian operators headed by MTS are ready to launch Wi-Fi calls, but Russian legislation is not ready for this
Russian telecom operators are planning to offer a new service - voice or video calls via Wi-Fi. The first to test the service in the Moscow region was the MTS operator. “The test papers demonstrated a high security of the connection, as well as exceptional voice quality in the HD Voice standard,” noted MTS. VimpelCom and MegaFon support innovation - this will allow operators to simultaneously save and improve the quality of communication.
Wi-Fi Calling allows the operator to significantly expand voice coverage, saving on the construction of base stations, told RBC Sergey Vorobyov, a leading expert on the development of solutions in the field of mobile broadband access for Ericsson in Northern Europe and Central Asia.
VimpelCom is considering the possibility of its use on its network for the point of improving the quality of communication, told RBC representative of the operator Anna Aybasheva. “MegaFon” is ready to begin its implementation “immediately after the lifting of legislative restrictions on the interaction of mobile communication networks and IP for the purposes of passing voice traffic,” said spokeswoman Tatyana Zvereva.
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So far on the market quite a few smartphones that support the function of Wi-Fi Calling. Among them - iPhone 5C, 5S, 6 and 6 Plus from Apple, some of the top models of Samsung and LG, as well as the device Sony Xperia Z3. In the case of the iOS platform, the telecom operator must be certified by Apple in order to get the right to activate the Wi-Fi Calling function, since Apple traditionally monitors the quality of its brand perception, Vorobyov said.
In the second half of 2014, the number of Wi-Fi calling smartphones registered at MTS in Moscow doubled compared with the first half of 2014, Solodovnikov added. By the end of 2017, the penetration of Wi-Fi calling devices in the MTS network will reach 15%, the company predicts. It is not yet decided whether Wi-Fi calling calls will be charged to MTS, Solodovnikov noted.
The head of the Association of Regional Operators, Yuri Dombrovsky, believes that the Ministry of Communications should meet the operators and issue sub-legal acts to the Law on Communications, which will allow them to provide voice transmission services over the network. Otherwise, the operators may complain to the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS), as the operation of online services such as Skype is allowed in Russia, and they themselves cannot provide similar services, therefore, their rights are violated, the expert said.
Currently, licenses of mobile operators do not allow launching such a service for commercial use.
Operators understand that with the development of LTE and the launch of VoLTE, the revenue from voice communications, which in 2005 reached 90% of the total revenue of operators, will be zero by 2018, says Denis Kuskov, general director of Telecom Daily information and analytical agency. According to him, now the service will not be in demand because of the small penetration of smartphones with its support. And their cost starts from 30 thousand rubles.
The new technology will allow operators to return roaming subscribers who are now saving on travel and not using a voice service, Vorobyev said. Now these users prefer services such as Skype , Viber , WhatsApp , he said.
Wi-Fi Calling allows the operator to significantly expand voice coverage, saving on the construction of base stations, told RBC Sergey Vorobyov, a leading expert on the development of solutions in the field of mobile broadband access for Ericsson in Northern Europe and Central Asia.
VimpelCom is considering the possibility of its use on its network for the point of improving the quality of communication, told RBC representative of the operator Anna Aybasheva. “MegaFon” is ready to begin its implementation “immediately after the lifting of legislative restrictions on the interaction of mobile communication networks and IP for the purposes of passing voice traffic,” said spokeswoman Tatyana Zvereva.
')
So far on the market quite a few smartphones that support the function of Wi-Fi Calling. Among them - iPhone 5C, 5S, 6 and 6 Plus from Apple, some of the top models of Samsung and LG, as well as the device Sony Xperia Z3. In the case of the iOS platform, the telecom operator must be certified by Apple in order to get the right to activate the Wi-Fi Calling function, since Apple traditionally monitors the quality of its brand perception, Vorobyov said.
In the second half of 2014, the number of Wi-Fi calling smartphones registered at MTS in Moscow doubled compared with the first half of 2014, Solodovnikov added. By the end of 2017, the penetration of Wi-Fi calling devices in the MTS network will reach 15%, the company predicts. It is not yet decided whether Wi-Fi calling calls will be charged to MTS, Solodovnikov noted.
The head of the Association of Regional Operators, Yuri Dombrovsky, believes that the Ministry of Communications should meet the operators and issue sub-legal acts to the Law on Communications, which will allow them to provide voice transmission services over the network. Otherwise, the operators may complain to the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS), as the operation of online services such as Skype is allowed in Russia, and they themselves cannot provide similar services, therefore, their rights are violated, the expert said.
Currently, licenses of mobile operators do not allow launching such a service for commercial use.
Operators understand that with the development of LTE and the launch of VoLTE, the revenue from voice communications, which in 2005 reached 90% of the total revenue of operators, will be zero by 2018, says Denis Kuskov, general director of Telecom Daily information and analytical agency. According to him, now the service will not be in demand because of the small penetration of smartphones with its support. And their cost starts from 30 thousand rubles.
The new technology will allow operators to return roaming subscribers who are now saving on travel and not using a voice service, Vorobyev said. Now these users prefer services such as Skype , Viber , WhatsApp , he said.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/293834/
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