Win-Mobile (K-Telecom) replaced MTS in Crimea. Win-Mobile (K-Telecom) replaced MTS in Crimea 250 33 operator in Crimea

At the time of the launch of the network in August 2014, the name of the ultimate beneficiary of the K-Telecom operator remains unknown. According to the Kontur-Focus system, K-Telecom LLC, created on May 15, 2014, is 100% owned by Mobile Telesystems OJSC. However, MTS representative Elena Kokhanovskaya claimed at the end of June 2014 that this K-Telecom did not receive frequencies, and they were issued to another company with the same name.

In the Unified State Register of Legal Entities there is an entry about another “K-Telecom”, registered in Krasnodar on May 23, 2014, whose activities are declared “ telephone connection" This company is 100% owned by the Armenian Sell Group Worldwide Holding CJSC and is managed by Boris Borunov.

Previously, a man named Boris Borunov worked as the director of Krymsky territorial administration MTS-Ukraine, however, according to Elena Kokhanovskaya, left the company and now does not maintain contact with it. In a conversation with CNews, Kokhanovskaya categorically denied MTS’s affiliation with Krasnodar K-Telecom, “since they have a different founder.”

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2014: Launch of the network after the annexation of Crimea to Russia

In August 2014, the first Russian cellular network"K-Telecom".

During a meeting-video conference on the development of communications in Crimea under the leadership of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, the head of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications, Nikolai Nikiforov, who was in Crimea, asked for permission to turn on the network online, after which the K-Telecom network began working.

According to Nikolai Nikiforov, networks and other operators are expected to launch in Crimea in the near future. In August 2014, third and fourth generation communication networks will be launched.

The new Crimean operator operates in DEF code 978.

Russian SIM cards connect to new network automatically. To connect to the network manually while roaming, you need to select the network code “250-32”, “Win Mobile” or “Rus 32” in the phone settings.

The K-Telecom network was launched at a video conference in Crimea. On the left is the acting head of Crimea Sergei Aksenov, on the right is the acting head. Governor of Sevastopol Sergei Menyailo, in the center is the head of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications Nikolai Nikiforov

08/04/2014, Mon, 18:08, Moscow time

Started work in Crimea mobile operator K-Telecom is the first Russian operator on the peninsula. This network was deployed on the former frequencies of MTS-Ukraine, however, MTS does not confirm its affiliation with K-Telecom.

The first Russian cellular network, K-Telecom, began operating in Crimea, the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications told CNews.

During a video conference on the development of communications in Crimea under the leadership of the Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, head of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications located in Crimea Nikolay Nikiforov asked permission to turn the network online, after which the K-Telecom network began working.

According to the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications, the launched switch is the core of the Russian cellular operator’s network, which provides coverage of 1.5 thousand. base stations. It is expected that by the morning of August 5, 2014, the network will operate throughout Simferopol, and within 48 hours it will cover the entire peninsula.

Over the past months, intensive construction of new communication infrastructure has taken place in Crimea, and since June 2014, mass sales of Russian SIM cards in the “+7” numbering began on the peninsula. To date, about 800 thousand of these SIM cards have already been sold, and their total stock is about 1.2 million.

According to Nikolai Nikiforov, networks and other operators are expected to launch in Crimea in the near future. In August 2014, third and fourth generation communication networks will be launched.

According to Interfax, the new Crimean operator operates in DEF code 978.

Russian SIM cards connect to the new network automatically. To connect to the network manually while roaming, you need to select the network code “250-32”, “Win Mobile” or “Rus 32” in the phone settings.

The operator K-Telecom received from the State Commission for Radio Frequencies of Russia the frequencies previously used by the Ukrainian subsidiary of MTS - MTS-Ukraine.

After Crimea switched to payments in rubles from June 1, 2014, MTS-Ukraine, being a Ukrainian company, will continue to make payments in hryvnias.

Another Ukrainian cellular operator, Kyivstar, which is part of the Vimpelcom group together with Beeline, also reports problems with communication in Crimea to its subscribers. After the peninsula switched to rubles, the operator experienced difficulties in paying in hryvnia for places for base stations and power supplies for them.

The name of the ultimate beneficiary of the K-Telecom operator remains unknown. According to the Kontur-Focus system, K-Telecom LLC, created on May 15, 2014, is 100% owned by Mobile Telesystems OJSC. However, a representative of MTS Elena Kokhanovskaya at the end of June 2014, she claimed that this K-Telecom did not receive frequencies, and they were issued to another company with the same name.

In the Unified State Register of Legal Entities there is an entry about another “K-Telecom”, registered in Krasnodar on May 23, 2014, whose activity is stated to be “telephone communications”. This company is 100% owned and managed by the Armenian Sell Group Worldwide Holding CJSC Boris Borunov.

Previously, a man named Boris Borunov worked as the director of the Crimean territorial department of MTS-Ukraine, however, according to Elena Kokhanovskaya, he resigned from the company and now does not maintain contact with it. In a conversation with CNews, Kokhanovskaya categorically denied MTS’s affiliation with Krasnodar K-Telecom, “since they have a different founder.”

At the beginning of August, the first Russian mobile operator started operating in Crimea. As one might expect, none of the operators big three did not dare to launch his own network in Crimea - they are afraid of sanctions. The united Rostelecom-Tele2 did not come to the peninsula either.

And the previously unknown operator Win-Mobile, whose networks are designated as cell phones as WinMobile, Rus 32, 250-32. This was stated by Minister of Communications Nikiforov on August 4, emphasizing that this is a Russian operator. In a striking way, this happened shortly after the MTS-Ukraine connection was cut off in Sevastopol. At the same time, according to Vedomosti, the new Vin-Mobile (aka K-Telecom) started working on the frequencies of MTS-Ukraine.

After this, the Kiev press service of MTS-Ukraine stated that their subscribers use the networks of “other” operators in Crimea on the basis of “technical roaming.” That is, there is roaming, but without overpayments. And the cheapest calls in the Win Mobile network from Crimea are to MTS-Ukraine numbers (2.50 rubles per minute versus 9 rubles per minute of conversation with Russian subscribers).

This is not the only fact connecting MTS and K-Telecom. According to RBC, the latter company is registered in Krasnodar, and its owner is the Armenian CJSC Sell Group Worldwide Holding, the director of which is the former director of MTS-Ukraine for Crimea. And this is not the last coincidence - according to the same Vedomosti, K-Telecom CJSC previously existed in Armenia. And this daughter was engaged in nothing more than servicing the networks of the subsidiary cellular company MTS in Armenia.

However, the official comment from MTS given to Vedomosti sounds like this:

MTS is not the owner or beneficiary of K-Telecom, and MTS-Russia does not conduct business in Crimea.