OREANDA-NEWS. On 03 June 2009 COMSTAR – United TeleSystems (JSC COMSTAR-UTS, LSE: CMST), the leading supplier of integrated telecommunication solutions in Russia and the CIS, announced that branches of ZAO STREAM-TV (a member of COMSTAR-UTS Group of companies), launched provision of broadband Internet access (BIA) services to residents and organizations of Tver and Kaluga in Central Federal District.

In order to implement the project related to network upgrading performed by branch specialists, FTTB-based (Fiber-to-the-Building) technology has been chosen. Based on this technology, urban multi-service networks are being deployed both in Tver and Kaluga to reach subscribers houses. Inside houses, end users are connected to BIA service based on Ethernet technology (dedicated line), while cable TV is delivered via coaxial cable of the existing TV household distribution networks.

Both branches have already started to provide broadband Internet access services and additional BIA-based services (electronic messaging with the use of their own domain). STREAM-TV offers to its subscribers in Kaluga and Tver both unlimited and pre-paid tariff plans with the data rate of up to 1 Mbit/s as well as tariff plans for Internet+TV service.

In Tver, 15.3 thousand residents of households may use STREAM-TV broadband access services during the initial stage. The new Internet broadband service is already available to residents of the Proletarsky district.

In Kaluga, it is initially planned to provide 7.5 thousand Kaluga households with broadband access. The first subscribers to use the new high-speed Internet access service will be residents of Terepets, Baikonur, Severny and Kubyaka districts.

Both branches also plan to increase a number of TV channels in the cable TV network from 26 to 60 and enhance their broadcasting quality.

Viktor Koresh, JSC COMSTAR-UTS Vice President for Regional Development and Director General of ZAO STREAM-TV, said: “We expect the BIA service to be in great demand with our CTV subscribers in Kaluga and Tver, as we see high demand among residents of central regions. FTTB-based networking and selective upgrading of regional networks is perfectly in line with strategic plans of COMSTAR-UTS Group of companies.

Branches of ZAO STREAM-TV in Tver and Kaluga are leading cable TV operators. In Tver, nearly all blocks of flats in Central, Moskovsky, Proletarsky and Zavolzhsky districts are equipped with household TV distribution networks. Altogether, the operator network covers about 1.5 thousand houses (more than 127 thousand households). In Kaluga, more than 90 thousand households are the company subscribers (cable TV and TV community reception). Nearly all blocks of flats in the central district and remote areas of the city are equipped with household TV distribution networks: Romodanovskiye yards, Pravoberezhie, Annenki, Kaluga-2, Mstikhino, Rezvan, Kanischevo, Severny, Baikonur, Kubyaka, Terepets, Olgovka, Malinniki, Airport, Dubrava, Neftebaza, Taifun, Mayakovka, Turynino, base 906 and some more. Altogether, the operator network covers about 2 houses (more than 112 thousand households).