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Cellular communications to be offered along Chita-Khabarovsk highway by Oct 15

Shchyogolev is currently in the settlement of Ol in the Jewish autonomous area in the Russian Far East

MOSCOW, October 3 (Itar-Tass) —— Stable cellular communications services will be offered along the entire Chita-Khabarovsk highway by October 15, Russian Minister of Telecommunications and Mass Communications Igor Shchyogolev said on Monday.

Shchyogolev is currently in the settlement of Ol in the Jewish autonomous area in the Russian Far East. To test cellular communications service he called Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov.

According to Shchyogolev, a total of 300 cell sites have been installed along the highway, although only ten of them are in operational regime. Still, he promised to commission all cellular communications facilities by October 15. For the first time, in his words, The Big Three mobile operators – MTS, Vimpelcom, and MegaPhon – have pooled their efforts and are working together.

Shchyogolev also said that digital television has already been launched in the Jewish autonomous area. Before his inspection trip, the minister met with governor of the Khabarobsk Territory Vyacheslav Shport to discuss issues related to provision of digital TV services in the Far East. “About 83 percent of the Khabarovsk Territory receive digital broadcasts, the works are nearing completion,” the governor said.

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