November 24, 2008, Moscow, Tyumen. COMSTAR – United TeleSystems (OAO COMSTAR-UTS, LSE: CMST), the leading supplier of integrated telecommunication solutions in Russia and the CIS, announced that OJSC Tyumenneftegazsvyaz (TNGS), one of the leading telecom operators in the Ural Federal District of the RF, member of COMSTAR-UTS Group, has opened its representative office in Tobolsk. 

For today COMSTAR-UTS has become the first and the sole alternative operator of local communications on the telecommunication market of Tobolsk. As well as in the other cities of the company’s presence in the Urals, the company will work both with physical persons and legal entities, providing its clients with comprehensive range of modern telecommunication services: local, intrazonal and DLD/ILD telephone communication services, Broadband Internet-access, establishment of virtual corporate networks (VPN), lease of communication channels, design and construction of utility systems.

At the moment, an intensive work related to deployment of the city multiple-service data transmission network based on Next Generation Network solution (NGN) is carried out in the territory of Tobolsk. A specific feature of COMSTAR-UTS access network in Tobolsk is employment of Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) technology. Thus, a fiber-optic cable will be laid to every client (inclusive of physical persons), and an active equipment will be installed directly at user’s premises.

At the first phase, it is planned to provide clients with high-speed Internet-access at the speed rate up to 100 Mbps and high-quality digital telephone communication services. In the future, according to the infrastructure development, COMSTAR-UTS’s subscribers in the city of Tobolsk will have an opportunity to use access to Internet-network at the speed rate up to 10 Gbps, and also watch High Definition Television (HDTV).

It is planned to start provisioning of telecommunication services to subscribers in Tobolsk in the first quarter, 2009. 

«When COMSTAR entered the new for the company city – Tobolsk, we significantly expand our presence in one of the most important macro-regions of the country, approving our status of National operator. The significant player has entered the local telecommunication market, and for the first time ever inhabitants of Tobolsk have an opportunity to choose fixed telecom operator. I believe that this fact will have positive effect on the development of telecom market in the region, due to the fact that only under conditions of competition growth of quality of services and customer services is possible», - Victor Koresh said, Vice President for Regional Development, JSC COMSTAR-UTS.

«The arrangements made by the State authorities make provisions for positive dynamics of business development in Tobolsk. However, only one operator represented the market of telecommunication services in the segment of fixed telecommunications before we entered the city. That is why we can say that the new district for COMSTAR’s penetration was selected successfully. We hope that our presence will increase the quality of provided in Tobolsk telecom services and bring them to the new level», - Vladimir Alaev noticed, General Director, OJSC TNGS.

Tobolsk is the second largest city in the south of Tyumen region. It is an interdistrict, servicing and infrastructural center of the three administrative districts: Tobolsk district, Uvatsk district and Vagaisk district.

Tobolsk district is a perspective territory for the development of telecommunications: large territory, increasing number of business entities and intensive development of production foster the increase in the market capacity year by year.

The major lines of business activity in Tobolsk are related to development of oil deposits in Uvatsk district, construction of large petrochemical complex and maintenance of through-passage North-South in Tyumen region (oil and gas pipelines, auto transport, railroad, river transport).  Over the recent years, construction of buildings of social and cultural significance together with individual housing facilities is gathering pace. Large-scale regional programs are being implemented inclusive of perspective project related to establishment of tourist resort area on the base of historical and cultural heritage of Tobolsk. All the mentioned above facts create favorable conditions for the development of telecommunications in the city.