3g network welcom coverage map. Why is communication becoming more expensive and when will spam end? Accuracy Coverage Areas MTS, Megafon, Yota, Tele2, Rostelecom, Sberbank, SkyLink
beCloud company, the first infrastructure operator Belarus, announced the launch of LTE-Advanced technology into commercial operation in all regions of the country. The world's leading telecom brands - companies - have become suppliers of equipment for the development of LTE networks in the regions. Regional subscribers of the largest mobile operator in Belarus, MTS, will be able to use high-speed Internet services in the first months of the project.
LTE fourth generation mobile communications, stands for Long-Term Evolution, “long-term development” of third generation cellular networks. It is a wireless high-speed data transfer standard for mobile phones and other data-enabled devices. .
“There is a certain misconception that LTE is more expensive, but 70% of subscribers use it. If the subscriber is uncomfortable and it is really more expensive, what will be the course of action? Refusal. Today's dynamics are not decline, but growth. This means the technology and price are fair. Consumption is changing qualitatively. Today this is video content, which is the future. Voice communication is turning into video communication,” Vladimir Karpovich, CEO of the MTS operator, answered the question about the cost of the service.
The main advantage of LTE technology is much higher mobile Internet speeds. And if theoretically the maximum incoming speed for subscribers of Belarusian 3G networks is limited to 42 Mbit/s, then in the 4G network it reaches 150 Mbit/s (with an average real speed of 25 Mbit/s in Minsk, which is significantly higher than real speed in 3G networks).
According to beCloud forecasts, compared to average speeds in the capital, average LTE speeds in the first months of launch in the regions of Belarus may increase to 30-35 Mbit/s. “This is an evolutionary process that is implemented on the beCloud side and on the operator side. Within a year or a year and a half at most there will be the possibility of voice transmission,” added Mikhail Duka, deputy general director beCloud.
“We are building a network taking into account providing access to all operators”
“On December 23, the technology will become available in the regions of the country. First of all, subscribers of the MTS operator"— said Sergey Poblaguev, CEO of beСloud. In December, fourth generation communication technology will become available to users of Gomel, Brest, Vitebsk, Mogilev, and Grodno, LTE network coverage in Minsk will expand, and will appear in the capital’s suburbs - Zhdanovichi, Ratomka, Kolodishchi, Senitsa, Stayki, Tarasovo and other suburbs.
4G coverage in Minsk
In just a month, in January 2017, LTE-Advanced will work in more than thirty regions - Borisov, Bobruisk, Molodechno, Baranovichi, Soligorsk, Pinsk, Kobrin, Pruzhany, Lida, Mozyr, Dobrush, Shklov, Orsha, Polotsk, Novopolotsk, Braslav, Lepel, Verhnedvinsk and other cities. Capital and regional LTE base stations will operate in the 1800 MHz band (with further development of the network, the 2600 MHz band will be used).
4G will become available to more than 5.5 million Belarusians. And this is 75% of the country's urban population. By the end of 2017, beCloud plans to provide LTE to major large populated cities. In the future, 4G may appear in all regional centers.
Significant interest in the technology is confirmed by monthly increasing user activity. Since the launch of the LTE network, the average daily traffic generated by users has grown more than six times - to 28 terabytes. The total traffic for the year of network operation in the capital exceeded 4.5 petabytes, or 4 thousand 608 terabytes
“I am deeply confident that we will come to an appropriate agreement with our colleagues from Velcom and their subscribers will receive LTE technology. It's interesting for them, it's interesting for us. I don't know why we can't agree.
Sergey Poblaguev, CEO of beСloud, about cooperation with Velcom.
5G in Belarus
In addition, already in 2017, beCloud, together with leading telecommunications vendors, intends to begin developing the fifth generation 5G communication technology, which will be able to provide the highest this moment data transfer speed - 1 Gbit/s and higher. The first in Belarus, the parties will jointly explore 5G and work on developing requirements for this standard.
The introduction of 5G will provide users with ubiquitous broadband mobile access in Internet. Among other things, 5G will be focused on the Internet of Things, providing data transmission for various types of devices: cars, sensors, elements of urban infrastructure, industrial equipment, etc.
With the advent of such a network, we should expect the emergence of new services, as well as the evolution of existing ones. According to analysts, with the advent of 5G, both the number of devices that can be connected to the Internet and the consumption of Internet traffic will increase, and the number of simultaneous connections to the network can reach 100 billion.
A few weeks ago, Belarusian operators responded to our proposal and agreed to answer questions of concern to Onliner.by readers. Velcom was the first to cope with the difficult task! It's time to find out the truth about Internet subscriptions, the loyalty program for “old” subscribers, and rumors that the company is seriously thinking about mining cryptocurrency.
Let us note that all operators found themselves in equal conditions: velcom, MTS and life:) each received 30 questions from us, which we selected from more than 400 messages from our readers. Among the most pressing and frequently encountered are questions to all three companies about Internet subscriptions. Our readers also often asked how quickly a connection would appear in this or that area of the country, on this or that street. Alas, it is problematic to answer these rather narrow questions within the framework of one article - it is better to address relevant requests to technical support services.
Subscriptions and spam
Rates
Connection quality
Service
Subscriptions and spam
-=Spam=-: When will Internet subscriptions be removed?
In the velcom network, the format for issuing Internet subscriptions is transparent and requires double verification on the part of the subscriber. When using the Internet subscription service, the user goes to a specific Internet resource with general information about the service, its cost, as well as information on how to cancel it. The subscriber must first confirm his agreement with the rules for the provision of the service by checking the appropriate box on the Internet page, and then subscribe by clicking the “Subscribe” icon. In this case, the subscriber can interrupt the subscription process using the “Exit” button. Immediately after activating the service, the subscriber receives an SMS with information about what subscription the user has subscribed to, how much the service costs and how to unsubscribe from it. In addition, an SMS with similar information is sent every 29th day of subscription, thereby reminding the subscriber to subscribe paid service and giving him the right to choose throughout the entire period of using the service.
Rauf_k: What percentage of users constantly use content on paid subscription(talking about wap-click and so on)? What percentage of users have banned paid subscriptions?
This information is included in the list of information constituting a trade secret of the enterprise.
ZaGImP: Why can’t you remove the ability to send SMS to short numbers? These numbers are mainly used for fraudulent schemes.
Short exchange service text messages(including short numbers), along with the voice service, is a basic service that is provided by velcom to all subscribers by default. Sending SMS to short numbers is used in the case of various voting, registrations as a tool for sending an application to receive another service, in banking and for other purposes. At the same time, the operator is interested in ensuring that the use of the service occurs in conditions that are comfortable for the client, therefore it takes a number of measures (from technical to educational) to prevent the occurrence of unexpected situations for the subscriber related to the use of the service due to unconscious actions or for ignorance about the features of its provision. In addition, before sending SMS via short number majority modern devices additionally inform the user with a corresponding message (for example, “Additional funds may be charged. Confirm sending?”). But even in exceptional cases, when questions arise regarding the process of connecting/operating individual services, velcom makes every effort to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.
Customer contact information, including telephone numbers, various stores, salons, services, etc., is obtained mainly from the customers themselves, who register in various promotions, discount programs and projects, giving consent to such mailings. Therefore, in case of receiving unwanted advertising SMS messages, subscribers can independently contact the organization that initiates the sending of messages. Along with this, when a client contacts the velcom operator about receiving such a mailing, the company independently takes measures to exclude the subscriber from the list of recipients.
Rates
ililili: Why does the dollar exchange rate stay the same (plus/minus), but communications keep getting more expensive?
The increase in tariffs in all sectors of the economy, including mobile communications, depends on many factors. This process is based primarily on the costs associated with maintaining the quality of services provided (tariffs are adjusted to take into account the increase in costs of providing services), and is carried out in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Belarus (tariffs are not tied to the US dollar exchange rate). Tariffs for cellular mobile telecommunications services are set by the telecommunications operator independently in the form of tariffs ( tariff plans) for individual services or a list of cellular mobile telecommunication services (clause 80 of the Rules for the provision of telecommunication services, approved by Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated August 17, 2006 No. 1055 (as amended on January 23, 2017)). When adjusting tariffs, velcom takes into account the competitive environment in the field of providing mobile communication services, adheres to a balanced policy and strives to minimize increase levels, focusing on meeting customer needs.
Kenny_McKormic: Is there any idea to make a tariff designer where you can choose the services you need?
Many tariff velcom plans already allow you to use additional options in the “designer” mode (traffic packages, minutes to various directions, SMS, “separate account” services, Additional services, such as VOKA, Zvooq and others). At the same time, practice shows that in most cases subscribers still prefer offers designed in the form of tariff plans.
Lost12: Are there plans to launch a tariff with unlimited Internet and an adequate price? Not “Smart endless”, not “Business class” and not unlimited for a day, but a regular affordable tariff?
The velcom operator is constantly improving and updating its product portfolio. For example, a new lemon tariff plan was recently launched with attractive conditions for active mobile Internet users and social networks. There will be more and more similar offers.
XIMEP: The cost of an interconnect (call to another network) is 2 kopecks per minute. Are operators thinking about reducing interconnect tariffs?
In fact, this is already happening - more and more tariff plans in the velcom product portfolio include either packages of minutes or unlimited voice traffic for calls to all networks. The company is observing intensive growth in the volume of calls to other networks, mainly due to traffic from such tariff plans. As a result, the average price per minute for users of these products is reduced.
Alex_navigator: Recently there were rumors that a tax on Internet use was being prepared, since due to instant messengers and social networks, people began to call less and use SMS and MMS less. Is it so?
The Ministry of Taxes and Duties of the Republic of Belarus is responsible for regulation and management in the field of taxation, so this issue is beyond the competence of velcom.
palindrom: Will there be comprehensive tariffs for mobile and home Internet?
The velcom company is working in this direction. In the near future, it is planned to complete the consolidation of customer bases on a single billing system, which will allow the integration of mobile and fixed-line products and, accordingly, offer comprehensive tariffs to subscribers.
Brelonni: When is it planned to introduce the accumulation of unused Internet traffic included in the tariff plan? The subscriber paid for it, but at the end of the month it expires.
According to velcom experts, the ability to accumulate unused Internet traffic is not a very popular service. If the subscriber regularly has a significant amount of included in subscription fee Internet traffic, this means that he is not optimally using the current tariff plan. In such cases, the client is recommended to consider changing the tariff plan.
dimahist: What does velcom plan to do with the “Hello” line: revive, improve or kill?
The “PRIVET” line of tariff plans is still popular among the company’s subscribers, especially in the regions and medium-sized cities, so the line will remain in place in the medium term. In addition, a number of products under the velcom brand operate on the PRIVET platform.
User00: Why do your home Internet tariffs force you to connect a lot of unnecessary services? I need access to the Internet, but I also have to buy from you a subscription to digital TV, antivirus, etc.
Most users need both access to the Internet and television. Velcom tariff plans for home are developed taking into account the needs of most clients and immediately include a range of services.
This is confirmed by the fact that if there is a tariff plan in the portfolio that includes unlimited Internet with speeds of up to 50 Mbit/s, a Wi-Fi router for use and access to internal services, most clients still choose a comprehensive offer. Signing up for a package of services from one operator at once is easy, convenient and profitable.
AlenPHOTO: Why don’t you have a TP without a subscription fee? Why can’t I switch from velcom to “Privet” (but from “Privet” you can)?
Velcom's product portfolio includes tariff plans without a subscription fee - this is the "PRIVET" line. In addition, the company periodically launches offers (“Annual subscription”, etc.), for which no subscription fee is charged during the validity period promotion. Since the provision of “PRIVET” services is carried out on the basis of a separate intelligent platform, to which certain number ranges are assigned, the transition from the velcom tariff plan to the tariff plan of the “PRIVET” line is currently not possible for technical reasons. The platform servicing velcom tariff plans does not have such a restriction, so the “PRIVET” line tariff plan is changed to a velcom line tariff plan.
Connection quality
MakcimUM: Why, when the connection is lost during a conversation, am I forced to call back and pay again for the first minute? It turns out that you need to pay several times for poor-quality communication?!
Possibility of connection loss during a call mobile phone in the velcom network is insignificant (0.08% according to data for the 1st quarter of 2018), which, accordingly, cannot provoke a noticeable increase in the subscriber’s bill. As a rule, such situations are associated either with the mobile equipment of one of the interlocutors, including incorrect settings, or with the location of a person (terrain, features of urban development, etc.). In addition, velcom currently offers its customers a range of tariff plans, the subscription fee of which includes unlimited calls to all networks, which makes such situations practically irrelevant. Also, if necessary (for example, if the subscriber does not have enough funds on his balance to reconnect), you can use free services“Waiting for a call” and “Back in touch again.”
ks100801: When will at least the main routes and directions of the railway be covered?
Today, all the main M-type highways of the country are covered with GSM and UMTS mobile communications according to the parameters defined in STB1904-2011. The last global improvement in 3G network coverage, including those affecting highways, was carried out in early April of this year. Work to improve the quality of pavement along the railway is planned for 2018-2019.
Berik1: When will communication be available in the Minsk metro on runs between stations?
The project to provide mobile communications to all sections of the Minsk metro is divided into three equal parts between all three Belarusian mobile operators. According to velcom experts, the launch of commercial operation of mobile communications in metro tunnels, given the technical complexity of the project, will take place no earlier than 2019.
Cheshir88: I heard that you are planning to turn off the 2G network. How long will it take and what will you do with customers who don't have 3G phones?
Progress does not stand still. The popularity of the GSM network, due to its wide coverage and support from manufacturers, is really starting to fade. This is facilitated by factors such as the expansion of 3G network coverage, the availability of broadband mobile Internet, as well as the growth in the number of modern mobile devices. At the same time, the operator velcom does not plan to turn off 2G in the next few years, and after some time, if such a decision is made, it will make every effort on its part to minimize possible negative consequences for its subscribers.
Eraiser: Why don’t they launch Wi-Fi Calling or calls through operator applications in Belarus? Has velcom already announced this service? (At the time of compiling the list of questions, the operator had not yet announced VoWiFi. - Note Onliner.by.)
Wi-Fi calls based on VoWiFi technology (Voice over Wi-Fi, or Wi-Fi Calling) have become available to velcom subscribers since mid-April of this year. Using the new service, you can make calls via Wi-Fi to mobile numbers and landlines even without access to mobile communications. You can also make calls to other countries, as well as send SMS. In this case, the function of the base station is performed by standard router or public velcom hotspot. According to current legislation, Wi-Fi calls can only be made from the company's fixed network.
Romashelkovskij: When is 4G?
Currently, velcom is ready to launch its own 4G network. However, the introduction of LTE technology into commercial operation can only be implemented after obtaining the appropriate license. The Velcom unitary enterprise, for its part, continues to negotiate on obtaining a national license in order to provide LTE coverage throughout the republic and guarantee its customers high quality 4G networks.
ALSET: If you are given the go-ahead to provide 4G services, how quickly can you deploy the network and what kind of coverage should you expect? Will there be coverage like 3G or only in large cities?
If a national license to use LTE technology is obtained, velcom will need 3-6 months to deploy a 4G network. At the first stage, the network will cover more than 60% of the territory of Belarus, where about 96% of the country’s population lives.
Service
Rauf_k: What percentage of users listen voice messages at least once a month? Why is voicemail enabled by default?
The velcom operator strives not to lose a single call, therefore, if it is impossible to establish a connection with the subscriber, the call is forwarded to voicemail. This is not a unique algorithm; many operators use it, and it pays off. According to statistics, almost all velcom subscribers people who are left a message via voice mail listen to it. Therefore, if a connection cannot be established, we recommend using voicemail: do not end the call, but leave a message.
nano3D: When porting a number, how long will the caller hear “number transferred”?
Features of the provision of the “Number Transfer” service, including those relating to the corresponding autoinformer, are regulated by the Rules for the provision of telecommunication services, approved by Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated August 17, 2006 No. 1055. According to these rules, the telecommunication operator must inform the subscriber about making an outgoing call to a subscriber number transferred to the network of another operator. At the same time, this norm does not allow the operator to disable the autoinformer, and the subscriber to voluntarily refuse it.
Adelante: Will you make virtual SIM cards to work with Apple Watch?
eSIM technology, which is used in e.g. new Apple Watch, is currently available only in the countries of South and North America, as well as parts of Europe (about 10 countries). Currently, the A1 Telekom Austria Group holding, which includes velcom, is also working on the eSIM project. However, the spread of this solution to the market of our country depends both on the current legislation and on the market situation.
nwcDragon: Why don’t you do promotions for “old” subscribers?
Velcom has always treated its existing subscribers with care. Among the largest promotions for “old” customers in recent years are 50 million minutes and the same number of megabytes on the occasion of the completion of the largest 3G network in the country, 10 thousand minutes within the velcom network as an eco-bonus for correctly disposed old phone, as well as comfortable gifts to the first 600 velcom subscribers from different cities of Belarus who have been using the company’s mobile communications for more than 18 years. In addition, existing velcom subscribers have a number of other advantages: the ability to purchase more expensive mobile equipment in installments, the ability to pay for communication services as they are used, and others.
999999: When will velcom make a TWIN card that works on two devices simultaneously?
The demand for such services is rapidly declining both in the Belarusian market and in the markets of other countries. This is due to the fact that modern smartphones make it easy to distribute Internet traffic and transmit voice to other devices via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
HardGinger: Why does the company allow the company to go into the red with the advance payment method? Why technical feasibility Stop the provision of services is available on “Privety”, but not on other tariffs?
It takes some time to process information about consumed services in the billing system. In this regard, information about the personal account balance is updated after making calls / establishing an Internet session / sending an SMS. A rapid increase in debt is possible if the subscriber has consumed a number of expensive services in a short period of time (for example, sent several SMS messages to service numbers, initiated a long Internet session, etc.). In this regard, it is not possible to notify the client that the personal account balance is exactly 0 rubles (or disconnect him from communication at this moment).
The provision of services to PRIVET subscribers is carried out on the basis of a separate intelligent platform, which allows clients to use services only with a positive balance.
AlenPHOTO: Why separate the minutes included in the subscription fee on 3G and 2G networks?
By the end of 2016, the operator velcom had built the largest 3G network in the country. This technology made it possible to more efficiently use frequency resources when using both voice and data services, providing subscribers with new opportunities for communication. Thus, massive coverage with a high-quality 3G network made it possible to offer subscribers products and solutions for profitable calls and Internet in 3G. In addition, such proposals stimulated subscribers to change the phones they were using to more modern ones, which in the future would make it easier to abandon the 2G standard. At the same time, in the near future the operator velcom plans to revise the configurations of some tariffs towards simplification.
exActorD: Why, when buying a phone in installments, after 100% payment is made, the lock of the SIM card slot is not removed?
SIM card slot lock, or SIM-lock, is a software restriction that can be set by operators. cellular communications equipment. It is set by the manufacturer and is a technical characteristic of the phone. The presence of SIM-lock on telephone sets sold by a mobile operator allows velcom to offer customers such equipment at the best price. Upon payment by the client of the cost of the equipment, this restriction is not automatically canceled, since velcom is a seller and does not take actions aimed at changing software or technical characteristics sold equipment. In general, it is worth noting that this practice using SIM-lock was popular in 2013-2014. Currently, such a restriction is practically not used.
KiraFF: velcom seriously started mining cryptocurrency or are these rumors?
Despite the fact that velcom does not consider the direction of generating cryptocurrency (mining), in April 2016 the company began to implement the concept of “more than a mobile operator.” The development strategy is aimed at business diversification and development of new high-tech areas. One of the key areas is the provision of services in the field of information and communication technologies for the digitalization of Belarus. Possessing the unique skills and knowledge of a team of professionals, a geo-distributed highly reliable infrastructure nationwide, velcom is ready to implement ICT projects of any complexity, including those related to mining: from providing racks for placing equipment to allocating computing power“cloud” infrastructure, including the use of specialized hardware and software solutions.
). This means that the almost six-month monopoly of another operator in the field of high-speed mobile Internet is over. Now the subscriber has the right to choose not only tariffs, but also an operator. That is why I will analyze how 3G networks have currently managed to develop in our country. I'll compare the tariffs a little later, because... There will be a very large amount of material there.
I will separately consider the 2G and 3G networks of operators, because... if in the first the access speed rarely exceeds 30 KB per second, then in the second it can reach more than 2000 KB and very much depends on the subscriber’s terminal equipment.
The 3G network covers 28 cities, where 55% of the population of our country lives. By the end of the year they promise to increase this figure to 60%. The technology is available in Minsk and Gomel (up to 22 Megabits), and in all others. As you can see from the map, these are all more or less large cities, with their own suburbs:
The operator's 2G network is much better developed. This is 82.5% of the country's territory or 99.1% of the urban population. All base stations support EDGE technology:
The 3G network, literally, is being launched at the time of writing these lines only in two cities - Minsk and Gomel. As in the case of life:) HSPA+ technology is available:
The best diets for weight loss need to be developed individually, for each person. Our body is a very unique thing.
But with a 2G network everything is much better. I couldn’t find the numbers right away, but they definitely cover more than 95% of the country’s territory. Majority base stations support EDGE technology:
The only operator in Belarus today that does not have a 3G network. From my own observations, I can say that the existing 2G network is currently overloaded. This is especially felt in the residential areas of large cities in the evening. Therefore, I do not recommend using the services of this operator until it has its own 3G network.
The operator's 2G network covers more than 95%:
Today I would like to talk a little about a mobile operator called velcom. This is one of the most popular operators in Belarus. If translated from English, this operator sounds like “welcome”. A good and high-quality operator, with an excellent coverage map, welcomes everyone who wants to become part of a large family of its subscribers.
It is this mobile operator that provides the highest quality services on the mobile communications market. Since 2014, the number of users has crossed the 5 million mark. The most important competitor of this operator can only be MTS. Life also shows good competition. They all try to provide users with only the highest quality communications in the mobile services market.
Coverage map
I would also like to talk a little about the mobile Internet coverage map operator Velcom. The information is quite new and all statistical data was recorded as of July 1 of this year. We can say, based on the information received, that almost the entire territory of the Republic of Belarus will have good mobile internet. Which helps all users get excellent access to all the benefits of the Internet.
Of course, there are territories and zones where the level of Internet data transmission is not at its best. high level. But the company does not stand still and is taking all necessary measures to improve its activities and in no case keep up with its main competitors.
The most accurate information regarding the coverage map can be viewed at any time on the official website of the mobile operator Velcom. All statistics and information are updated and improved from time to time. The company constantly reports on its activities to all its subscribers.
On this map you will find all points with high-speed network coverage.
Therefore, if you have problems with coverage, check the availability of your region on the map. If it is, then contact hotline Welkom operator to solve the problem.
Mobile operator velcom is negotiating its participation in the implementation of the LTE (4G) network in Belarus. This was announced on February 4 at a meeting with journalists in Minsk by Christian Lake, Deputy General Director for Technical Issues of the Velcom unitary enterprise, BelaPAN reports.
"We are in consultation with beCloud and are currently awaiting their commercial offer. But let me state that the 140 base stations that they have in Minsk are a volume that is significantly less than the 640 base stations that velcom has in Minsk. Negotiations are also continuing with the regulator,” Laque noted.
“When we receive permission to launch LTE, we will certainly inform you about this. But in order for you to understand the scale of the negotiations, for example, negotiations on the implementation of the UMTS-900 standard took us seven years,” said the Deputy General Director “ Velcom".
In December 2015, velcom received permission from the State Commission on Radio Frequencies to use UMTS-900 technology and an additional frequency resource for this technology. The introduction of 3G in the 900 MHz band will significantly expand 3G coverage to almost the entire territory of Belarus. The UMTS-900 standard allows you to effectively cover rural areas, as well as hard-to-reach areas and premises with 3G communications.
As for the prospects for the development of LTE (4G) technology, when approaching its deployment, according to Christian Lacke, “we must not forget about the realities and real needs of consumers.” "It's a very beautiful picture when you can show that the network speed is 100 megabits per second. But let's not forget about the real needs," he added.
“Yes, new technologies are coming, images with 4K resolution, the demand for mobile data transmission will increase. That is why we continue to modernize our network and equipment. In this case, this is UMTS-900 technology, which will provide stable 3G communications throughout the country But the modernization of our equipment is carried out in such a way that, subject to the adaptation of the software, it will allow the introduction of LTE and other new technologies,” emphasized the deputy general director for technical issues of the Velcom unitary enterprise.
The LTE Advanced (4G) network in Belarus went into commercial operation on December 17. Its construction was carried out by the first infrastructure operator beCloud for subsequent provision of it for use by all interested operators.
At the moment, only MTS has shown interest. However, the Ministry of Communications expects that all Belarusian mobile operators will soon connect to the network being created LTE Advanced. At the time of the launch of LTE, coverage was provided by 150 base stations.
