Russian operator Beeline has decommissioned its 3G (UMTS) network operating on the 900 MHz band in Moscow and reallocated the frequencies to 4G LTE services. Beeline claimed that with this transition, it has become the first telecom operator to disconnect 3G in Moscow. The transition of the outdated UMTS 900 frequency to the modern LTE 900 was the final stage of the network modernisation in the capital, Beeline said in a statement on Monday.
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Enhanced 4G LTE Coverage in the Capital
As a result of this transition, the operator has expanded the indoor coverage of its 4G network in the capital city. Beeline has improved the availability of 4G mobile internet and voice communications via VoLTE (Voice over LTE) technology in densely populated residential areas, inside buildings with thick walls, and in basements and underground parking lots in the capital.
Rapid Upgrade of Over 3,000 Base Stations
Beeline said it took 7 days to upgrade over 3,000 base stations in Moscow to the 4G standard. This rapid transformation was achieved using proprietary technologies such as "Chess ChTP," the AI-based "Intelligent Planner," and the "Virtual Quality Expert." These tools helped streamline network development and ensured that the transition went unnoticed by customers.
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"Strengthening 4G at the expense of 3G frequency resources is a deliberate and systematic step by the company to improve the quality of communication in the capital. The share of Internet traffic on 3G at the time of the technology shutdown was slightly more than 1 percent, and the percentage of actual users was approaching zero every year. In addition, the experience of conducting extreme refarming in the Moscow Region had a positive effect on the user experience, both according to our internal data and the results of independent research," Beeline said.
VoLTE Adoption
The upgraded infrastructure also supports high-quality voice calls and uninterrupted internet usage simultaneously. With the expansion of 4G coverage, the availability of VoLTE (Voice over LTE) technology has increased. Currently, 67 percent of voice traffic in Moscow is transmitted via 4G, while 2G services remain available for voice communication, the official release said.
