OREANDA-NEWS. February 26, 2010. MegaFon, the first pan-Russian mobile operator, announces addition of a 150-thousandth subscriber of the Video Portal service which is unique for Russia. Due to development of the data technology, TV becomes one of the rapidly growing value-added services. The Video Portal was launched into federal operation a year ago, February 2009, and has already made great progress!

Mobile TV was introduced to MegaFon’s subscribers in Moscow, 2004. These were the first steps of the service in Russia. The speed of data transfer on mobile networks has grown significantly for the past 6 years, and with the broadcasting adjustment technology this allowed providing good quality of streaming video. One year after the Video Portal’s launch, the number of subs throughout Russia reached 150 K people.

Larisa Tkachuk, MegaFon’s Chief Commercial Officer says, “Implementation of the 3G technology allows MegaFon’s mobile TV to enter a new level of quality. In Q2 2010, 3G networks will be commissioned into commercial operation in all the Russian regions. High speeds of data transfer predetermine wide popularity of mobile TV. Streaming video becomes one of the rapidly growing value-added services”.

Today MegaFon’s Video Portal embodies more than 20 video channels, their number is constantly growing. Image quality is similar to that of the like Internet services due to employment of the latest developments in the area of mobile video. The user may choose between two channel packages: “Basic” and “18+”. The most popular channels are “Vesti 24”, “Big Difference”, Music Box RU, MultTV and “18+” channels. The price of subscription to unlimited usage of the “Basic” video programs — RUR 8 a day (incl. VAT), data traffic is not charged while viewing.

It is enough to have a handset with a streaming video option to use the Video Portal service. A wide range of mobile handsets by different manufacturers has this option. Quite recently MegaFon’s mobile TV has become available to iPhone owners.

According to the survey among MegaFon’s subscribers, the Video portal users are people of all ages from 14 to 45. The average duration of a session is 8 minutes that is consistent with the European level. Mobile TV users usually have middle or high income and spend to mobile communication more than people indifferent to this service. They are also more actively (two- or threefold) using other VAS such as mobile access to Internet, Caller Line Identification Restriction, voice mail, mobile payment, participation in SMS-votes.