June 2, 2009, Moscow, Saint-Petersburg. COMSTAR – United TeleSystems (COMSTAR-UTS, LSE: CMST), the leading integrated telecommunications operator in Russia and the CIS, has announced completion of creation of the COMSTAR-UTS communication network control and operation center in Saint-Petersburg.

Up to date, the city has had multiple scattered operations and maintenance centers, using which Saint-Petersburg branch of COMSTAR-UTS has provided telecommunication services to its customers. Fast development of the branch, active networking and an increased number of communication subscribers have brought about a need to integrate new high-technology solutions. Creation of the single communication network control and operation center enables efficient management of the transport and switching infrastructure of COMSTAR-UTS network in Saint-Petersburg branch, fast connection of customers in nearly every point of the city and service quality control.

Viktor Koresh, COMSTAR-UTS Vice President for Regional Development and General Director of STREAM-TV, has noted: "COMSTAR-UTS has created a single efficient operations and maintenance center in Saint-Petersburg to control its own telecommunication network and monitor provided services. Presently, we are engaged in assets consolidation of COMSTAR-UTS Group of companies in the North-West Federal District. This includes elaboration of the engineering policy common for all units, and in the long term, this center will become a communication network control and operation center in the whole North-West Federal District. The center will ensure reliable operation of the network, quality of provided services and efficient service maintenance in all regions of COMSTAR-UTS presence in the North-West Federal District."

The control and operation center is a transport network core of Saint-Petersburg branch of COMSTAR-UTS. In 2008 – early 2009, the branch built a high-capacity extensive transport and switching network in Saint-Petersburg. By now, the length of the fiber-optic transport communication network is about 600 km. The network was developed based on NGN solutions (Next Generation Network); it covers the whole city without suburban areas. In construction, high-capacitance cables were used (96 fibers), due to which network resources can be operatively enhanced where required, and customers may get Internet access with a connection speed of up to 10 Gbps.

Intercity and international communication centers have been arranged on the basis of the control and operation center. COMSTAR-UTS set upon providing of both local and long-distance communication services based on its own intercity and international network in late 2008. Besides, in January 2009, COMSTAR-UTS announced commercial commissioning of the fixed zone telephone communication network within Saint-Petersburg territory. Consequently, the branch currently provides the whole range of fixed communication services to its corporate customers in the second capital of Russia. COMSTAR-UTS network is connected to all Saint-Petersburg service providers through the center.

Viktor Shmytinsky, Director of COMSTAR-UTS branch in Saint-Petersburg, has noted: “Thanks to the developed communication network and the control and operation center created by our specialists, Saint-Petersburg branch of COMSTAR-UTS provides multiservice communication services to our partners and customers: telephony, Internet access, data transfer, virtual private networking. The branch demonstrates sustained business growth. High performance results have been obtained in less than two years, which is a record for the branch that has been created virtually from scratch. I think that we have attained all goals set by the top management, and we will continue our active development in the city. Plans of the branch, in particular, include extension of service range both to corporate customers and service providers.”

The center fully complies with all technological requirements; it has undergone inspection of the Saint-Petersburg and Leningrad region Administration of the Federal Agency for Supervision of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Mass Communications. It has been put into commercial operation.

For reference: premises housing the control and operation center were initially intended for installation of equipment. Electric power supply of communication facilities is arranged according to the first special group in full compliance with requirements specified in regulations for electric power supply of nodes, including intercity, international and zone levels, by two independent infeeds from different transformer substations. A self-contained container-type diesel power plant is used as the third independent electrical power source. The center is equipped with fire and security alarm, automatic gaseous agent extinction, air conditioning, suspended ceiling to protect against all kinds of leaks from upper stores and antistatic floor covering.