Beeline: Official launch of the GSM network in Tajikistan
September 11 VimpelCom (Beeline) began a massive advertising campaign to introduce its brand in the cellular market in Tajikistan. From a formal point of view was rebranding the acquired (60% of shares) 26 December 2006 Tajik "this" (now - a subsidiary of VimpelCom), and in fact built and continues to expand new mobile phone network Beeline abroad.
According to Sergey Avdeev, executive vice president of business development in CIS countries, and Chief Technical Officer of VimpelCom, the network in Tajikistan was built almost from scratch in record time: infrastructure equipment began arriving in the country in June this year. Network "this" has worked and served a certain number of subscribers (according to ACM Consulting on August 31 - just over 11,000 users), but the system included a total of six base stations and provide uneven coverage only most of the city (Dushanbe). Not to mention the almost complete absence of any additional services. Beeline network under construction should be in the next year to cover almost all populated areas of the country and become a real competitor to other existing operators in Tajikistan. Posed at the end of 2006 the task - to collect about 70 thousand active subscribers and to cover a territory with a population of not less than 80% of the population. Problem looks modest at first glance, since in reality would mean almost seven-fold increase of the current subscriber base.
Quote from the press release Beeline:
Since September 11, Beeline begins operations in Dushanbe and districts of republican subordination, c September 16 in Khatlon and 23 September in Sughd. By early 2007, Beeline services will also be available to residents of Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous region.
"By 2007 we plan to cover the territory with a population of not less than 80% of the population of Tajikistan", - said General Director of "this" Igor Pilyugin. - Our priority is to expand high-quality coverage, increase network capacity and provision of roaming services "
A significant portion of the network equipment supplied by Huawei, established a new generation HLR Corporation Hewlett-Packard. Currently, the active phase of network construction is continuing, and the implementation of priority (to catch up on the cover with the networks of competitors) is scheduled for late 2007. The quality of the coating is not accidental measured as a percentage of potentially underserved populations: more than 95% of Tajikistan's territory is occupied almost unpopulated mountain ranges. To provide communication for these remote areas is meaningless now, and is unlikely to be useful even for many years. For the same reason, part of the base stations are connected via satellite communication channels.
Online-roaming in the networks Beeline other countries is already running (ie, communications will be in any positive balance), it is important and positive. As well as charging calls in real time. But with GPRS-roaming service is not so smooth, it still only promises.
Currently, Tajiks serve several mobile operators, including major local operator can be regarded as Babylon, a network of Indigo and MLT (Megafon). The undoubted leader is Babylon (in September this year more than a quarter million subscribers), all mobile phones in the country enjoy a little more than 600 thousand people in a population of about 7 million. The average ARPU in the country is 12-14 dollars, average MOU (minutes per subscriber per month) - 150 minutes.
Active in the market CDMA-operator "TK Mobile", the basic tools of market competition - the distribution of free phones, gift minute and attractive tariff plans. Surprisingly, even in the festive chetyrehdnevku ("Independence Day" in the country is celebrated for four days) in the office "TK Mobile" there was a full house, and six operators lined up behind the counter turn the suffering to connect and get the phone as a gift.
Market Leader (local GSM-operator of Babylon) special concerns about the emergence of competitors has not yet demonstrated. According to CEO Behzod Fayzullaeva, the rate of new subscribers they completely satisfied: if six months ago, the company connected a 5.7 new users per month, now, he said, the number of new connections has risen to 20,000. Nevertheless, these figures the growth rate should be taken with some skepticism: when the declared abonbaze Babylon in 282 000 people 20 000 new connections at more than 10% monthly increase that does not look very realistic. Arithmetic - great power, but the calculation of statistics operators traditionally can be attributed more to the less exact sciences. For example, in chemistry.
Polygon of the third generation
In Tajikistan, historically very favorable environment for testing and commercial exploitation of third-generation networks, the GSM-environment is a standard UMTS. We understand that the administration of communication rather loyal to the issuance of appropriate licenses, and generally tries not to hinder the development of new technologies. As a result, a relatively small country, we see three (!) Operating on 3G, each of which have the option video call, of course, with the appropriate vehicles for communicating with each subscriber. And in segments of three operators of 3G video calls are not billed separately, paid the usual communication session in accordance with the tariff plan of the subscriber.Another thing is that the tube until the third generation of affordable units of users, and the video call is not an indisputable advantage: the experience of European operators, the majority of customers abandoning this option after the second or third video. Rhetorical question: "Who needs it and who it will stand" (c)? In understanding the specifics of the operators can not refuse: According to Sergey Avdeev, Chief Technical Officer of VimpelCom, vidozvonok - a good thing, but in terms of commercial prospects looks pretty fast mobile Internet. As we recalled Sergei, at one time an unexpected boom in GPRS-Internet access, he found a company Beeline Moscow a bit by surprise, none of the marketers did not expect such an activity and technically advanced users. Ie fast mobile Internet access for home and family "may be the wave of popular service, especially in the face of the current shortage of wired phones.
With regard to funding shortfalls telephone communication in the country as a whole, the marketers hope the rapid growth in the mobile market look quite reasonable. In any more or less lively point of the city can be found tortured, eerie kind of wired phone next to it - all wanting to call. "Tariffication" of such calls are usually performed by a specially trained child who is at the eye are assessing the duration of the talk and charge a fee at the rate of about 0.25 cents per minute. In this case, hanging a number of modern payphone remains unclaimed and the queue is completely ignored.
Rates - simply nowhere
To get an idea on pricing, Beeline in Tajikistan, please visit the operator in terms of declared Beeline simplicity and clarity to expect a large number of tariffs should not have. Indeed, the claimed tariff plans of all three: "Simple Things" and "One Team" for individual users and "Free Style" for legal entities. Several interesting features of the proposed tariff plans:
Per second billing from the first second
The minimum quantum of tariff conversation - 1 cent
The high price of calls to Beeline other countries ($ 0.6, excluding VAT, per minute rounds)
The small difference (10-20%) in the price call minutes in different directions at different tariff plans
Interesting proposal looks TA "Simple Things", which begins vnutriset charged at 2 cents per minute, starting with a 4-minute toll calls per day. Although there are some nuances: First, the declared "per second" billing after the 4 th minute to vnutriseti actually turns "poluminutnoy" and, secondly, the parameters of the tariff declared valid only on 02/01/2007 inclusive.
Beautiful ads - the motor trade
What you will not refuse an updated symbolism Beeline, so it's in brightness, and overall entertainment. In general, advertising on the streets is not so much, but even the small size poster will inevitably attract attention. The same applies to distributors of advertising, which stand out from the crowd for its cheerful striped scarf and backpack. Accordingly, it seems that advertising is very much, although in reality it is simply much stronger than "catchy."
Customer Service Centre also differs soaked in every detail of style, that sets him apart from the general mass of shops and offices. In Moscow, it is not evident from the large number of other entertainment advertising, but in other cities of the past success of the re-branding is becoming evident.
