July 23, 2009, Moscow: COMSTAR – United TeleSystems (COMSTAR-UTS, LSE: CMST), the leading operator of integrated telecom services in Russia and the CIS, announces the completed implementation and commercial launch of guaranteed quality of service offering for virtual private networks (VPN) based on the Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the Operator and Subscriber. The service is provided using wiSLA (well integrated SLA) hardware and software solution.

COMSTAR-UTS started testing VPN QoS system in April 2009, and in July offered its clients an option to sign the VPN SLA which defines guaranteed limit (target) values for QoS indicators, VPN Classes of Service (CoS), cost for activities to provide guaranteed QoS for the corresponding CoS, as well as procedure for interaction between a subscriber and the operator, operator liability in case of failure to fulfill their obligations. The basic VPN QoS indicators are reliability (guaranteed network restore time) and QoS criteria.

Thus, COMSTAR-UTS is the first telecom operator in Russia to implement European-level SLA service with automated monitoring and support of the corresponding business processes of the Company. Actually, SLA service allows the subscriber to independently monitor the quality of telecom services provided by wiSLA solution.

Enterprises need the services of secure corporate IP-based data networks (VPN) offered by COMSTAR-UTS to effectively interconnect distributed offices and affiliates. Today, business depends on the IT infrastructure directly, so the enhanced quality of telecom services is in great demand.

COMSTAR-UTS provides its corporate clients who signed the Service Level Agreement with an access to wiSLA information web portal containing the data on the basic indicators for VPN reliability and QoS based on the addresses of the monitored communication links and subscriber access points. The wiSLA solution collects data on QoS and displays them in the form of reports and charts in the Personal Cabinet on a real-time basis. In case of SLA violation the system notifies the subscriber and operator’s Customer Care Service to make the process of possible faults location and elimination faster.

Alexander Kirillov, COMSTAR-UTS Technology Vice President, says: “In current telecom market environment the most important competitive edge for telecom operators is the quality of service and customer care. It is exactly for this reason that one of the main strategic development goals of COMSTAR-UTS in 2009 is standardization of quality norms and bringing of all business processes in compliance with these standards. Implementation of VPN QoS monitoring system is a part of this comprehensive program. SLA service is already available to our corporate clients in Moscow. In the future we plan to introduce this experience in the COMSTAR-UTS regions of presence as well.”

Vladimir Levin, BI Telecom SLA/SOA director, explained: “The important principle of SLA is to provide continuous monitoring of QoS indicators in the process of service provision. First, the monitoring enables timely detection of abnormal situations and therefore is important for the operator liable for the quality of service. Second, the monitoring allows to promptly respond to the specific situation, as well as to define lawfulness of possible claims against the operator.”

QoS indicators are monitored using wiSLA hardware and software solution developed by Russian companies Metrotek and BI Telecom. As of today, wiSLA is the only QoS monitoring solution that combines measurement means and centralized management for SLA reporting to delimit the responsibility domains between a telecom operator and a customer of service provided.