Articles and Lifehacks

Search for the optimal mobile operator often becomes a difficult task. Let's try to figure it out which is better: megaphone or mts, based on reviews from ordinary users, as well as expert opinion. And in the next publication we will talk about what is required for this.

MTS or Megafon: which is better?

Communication quality studies have demonstrated interesting fact: the MTS operator has observed better sound, while the Megafon company strong point is signal reception.

If we are talking about cash expenses, a lot depends on the tariff we choose. User reviews indicate that it is cheaper to use Megafon services.

We remember the beginning of 2014 for the abolition of “mobile slavery.” Some may be interested to know that it was also marked by the transition of a large number of Megafon subscribers to MTS. For example, similar indicators were announced by TsNIIS according to Krasnoyarsk region. In just the first two months, over 100 thousand applications for number porting were left in this region, and more than 35 thousand numbers were transferred. Most of these subscribers chose MTS.

If we are trying to find out for ourselves which is better: megaphone or MTS, we should clearly understand what we expect from a cellular operator. For some, communication within the network is important, for others – calls to other operators or roaming. Also, do not forget about the region in which we are located.

There are also subscribers for whom the availability of profitable and relatively fast mobile Internet is very important. Let's try to compare the services of MTS and the Megafon operator.

Which is better - MTS or Megafon? Mobile Internet speed comparison

Ookla, a company known for its quality research cellular communication, studied the speed of mobile Internet offered by various domestic operators in Russia. The indicators were recorded by the Speedtest program. The speed was tested in LTE, 2G and 3G networks, as well as in various settlements (both large and remote) and districts.

MTS managed to demonstrate the best performance in the Russian Federation. Interestingly, Megafon performed better only in one district - Privolzhsky. MTS is also the leader in terms of average download speed.

Experts noted that in regions remote from the capital, the speed, as one would expect, is worse - and the further they are, the lower the speed. For example, the difference between the average indicators in the capital and the Far Eastern District was 1166 kilobits per second (in favor of Moscow). However, this is hardly a sufficient argument in favor of MTS.

Obviously, everyone who uses the mobile Internet will be interested in learning more about the network coverage area of ​​​​both operators. Specialists from Ookla decided not to check this indicator. First of all, they did this because it is almost impossible to carry out an inspection throughout the capital, and secondly, because problems with 3G coverage in Moscow are extremely rare.

To summarize, we note that the user is recommended to study the conditions of the so-called unlimited tariffs operators, and subsequently check whether the declared speed corresponds to what he will receive in the end.

Articles and Lifehacks

Choosing a telecom operator can sometimes seem like a very difficult task. For example, many are interested in the question of which is better: megaphone or beeline? It is quite difficult to answer this definitely. Obviously, this can only be done after testing the SIM cards of both operators experimentally. If we are talking about, then it is absolutely indifferent.

Let's try to conduct a small experiment and use both SIM cards.

Let's compare which is better: the quality of communication in Beeline or MegaFon?

IN Lately Many MegaFon users complain about deteriorating call quality. Our experiment is primarily aimed at confirming or disproving this. We compared the quality of communication on two mobile devices, one of which had a Beeline SIM card installed, and the other a MegaFon. To be sure, the SIM card was periodically rearranged from one device to another.

Quality voice communication on a phone with a Beeline SIM card it really turned out better. We found the same thing regarding the stability of the connection. The call was made immediately. With the MegaFon SIM card, everything was a little different. The call rarely happened right away. In addition, another problem was noted. Even when the phone with the MegaFon card was turned on, the mode often remained in the “off” position. The caller heard 3 short beeps and hung up. All actions with rearranging SIM cards and other manipulations on the advice of the support service did not help.
Unfortunately, this problem Happened to my SIM card more than once. We did not notice such problems with Beeline.

In general, the quality of communication with the Beeline SIM card turned out to be much better - almost all callers noted this. Separately, we note the Multifon service offered by the MegaFon operator. With the activation of this service, communication stability increases; the same applies to audibility. As for dialing, this service, as well as the possibility, unfortunately, does not affect it.

Internet Beeline or MegaFon: which is better? Let's sum it up

Now a little about how the Internet works. Note that in 3G networks Beeline performed extremely well. The Internet always worked, and the speed never dropped below 800 kilobits. Unfortunately, when entering the EGDE network, it deteriorated significantly. In the case of a small 3G coverage area in Beeline, this is not very good.

As for MegaFon, the coverage area of ​​3G networks is much wider, but the speed may be completely absent. At the end of our little experiment, we’ll try to decide which is better: a megaphone or a beeline.

In the case of the Internet, we have to admit that a small 3G coverage area and periodic stable Internet from the Beeline operator would be preferable to a wide coverage area and virtually complete absence of Internet from MegaFon.

The overall result in terms of communication quality demonstrates similar indicators - Beeline is superior to MegaFon in many, although not all, ways.

Summing up the results of the experiment, it should be said that the Beeline SIM card will be optimal for conversations and Internet use. As for MegaFon, you can use a SIM card with the activated Multifon service to make calls to the Russian Federation from abroad.

Let’s not ignore how well the service is implemented personal account from both operators. On the MegaFon website it works very slowly. The interface is not very convenient, although in its defense it should be said that everything is implemented in more detail.

On the Beeline website, the approach to the account interface is very minimalistic, but everything works quite quickly. At the same time, activating a SIM card is not particularly convenient, since it is carried out via SMS.

In conclusion, we will say that we should not forget about the difference in tariff plans offered by Beeline and MegaFon operators.

The modern cellular communications market is filled with a large number of representatives who provide similar services. But the conditions of each operator vary significantly. When choosing a provider, you should take into account the main parameters tariff plans. One of these is access to network resources. Today we will analyze which mobile Internet is better than MTS, Beeline, Tele2 or Megafon. We'll help you do it right choice to achieve certain goals and solve problems.

Internet evaluation criteria

To carry out any analysis and comparison, it is necessary to build on certain criteria and parameters for the Internet. Let's look at them in more detail:

  1. Traffic management. Any user should have at his disposal the means to control packets and gigabyte balances. This is usually implemented on the basis of a personal account on the company’s official website. In such a web space, characteristics, services and functions are checked, as well as their changes in real time.
  2. Cost of one megabyte. Main criterion, according to which most subscribers choose one or another provider. Typically, this applies to tariff plans without subscription fee with per minute billing. Such names are present in every representative of the sphere mobile communications.
  3. Traffic bundle sizes. Contracts based on a monthly payment are delivered together with set volumes of free gigabytes. Dimensions that can reach unattainable heights for specific operators.
  4. Implementation of renewal and addition of additional traffic packages. Without the ability to increase volumes, users may be left without an active connection until the end of the billing period.
  5. Affiliate network applications. Unlimited communication on social networks. Most offers actively cooperate with well-known web services.
  6. Signal coverage area. Not all companies can equally provide their services throughout the country.
  7. Internet speed, availability of modern LTE transmission formats. Fast loading pages is an important parameter. In 2019, almost every user should have access to the World Wide Web and master the 4g standard.

All of the above points fully describe the features of the Internet. Next, we will analyze the conditions of each specific provider in the Russian Federation.

Features of MTS


This company is one of the first representatives of the cellular communications sector in Russia. Has a stable signal from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok. Most tariff plans have large traffic packages. The only negative is the high cost of tariffication. For clarity, here are the provider’s popular contracts:

If the consumer has activated the offer on a per-minute basis, then the price tag for 1 megabyte will be 9.90 rubles. Subscribers can activate additional packages Internet for phone, tablet and personal computer:

  1. Mini. 8 gigabytes for a month. Connection costs 350 rubles.
  2. Maxi. 15 GB during the daytime, at night traffic is not charged and is valid full unlimited for 650 rub.
  3. Vip. 30 GB for the billing period. Gigabytes are only counted during the day. Unlimited use at night.

This option allows you to make your phone’s Internet completely unlimited, but the monthly payment will increase significantly. Access to renewal is also open on the Smart TP line, but the maximum size is 1 GB.

Megafon terms and conditions


Tele2 or Megafon, which is better? The second provider has been providing its services for more than 15 years and holds a leading position in the market.

Has a number of advantages:

  1. Maximum signal coverage area. Even in the most remote regions and settlements, users can catch a stable level of divisions. But no one guarantees high speed transmissions at such points on the map.
  2. The first one provided access to video communication via mobile network and high-speed transmission standard LTE, 300 Mbit per second.
  3. Wide frequency range Internet.

Flaws:

  1. Low level technical support and feedback.
  2. High cost of services. This is due to the expensive equipment of the provider throughout the country. And if there are not enough consumers, the only way to stay afloat is to raise prices.

Let's look at the operator's most voluminous tariff plans and their characteristics. The “Turn On” TP branch on a package basis fits these requirements.

The cost of 1 megabyte in excess of the basic set or on tariffs on a per-minute basis is 9.90 rubles.

The operator also has renewal services, the maximum size of which is 5 gigabytes. The additional traffic package is the most voluminous - Internet L 36 GB.

What does Yota have?


Yota is a subsidiary of Megafon, which stands out for its unlimited offers.

Has the following advantages:

  1. High transfer speed.
  2. No roaming when traveling around the country.
  3. The ability to independently create your own tariff plan. Provide a list of applications for which traffic will not be charged; there are a significant number of them to choose from. For a low price you will get unlimited access to social networks and messengers.
  1. Small coverage area. The company is very young and has not had time to expand into many regions.
  2. Complete dependence on Megafon.

This cellular provider specializes in network resources. There are several standard contracts that the operator provides:

It's more profitable to collect personal offer, taking into account your goals and requirements.

Beeline features


This provider is one of the most popular among consumers.

Its subscribers have the following benefits:

  1. A large number of tariff plans on a package basis.
  2. Developed technical support.
  3. Covering almost the entire country.
  4. High speed of transfer and loading of Internet pages.

Flaws:

  1. Frequent failures in signal transmission according to consumer opinions.
  2. High prices when roaming.
  3. A strong signal is detected only in large cities. Outside of them, the speed is unlikely to reach the 4G format.

On this moment There is a line of “Everything” tariff plans. By connecting them, the user receives certain sets of traffic. Let's take a closer look at them:

NameCost, rub. per monthInternet package volume, GB
All - 1400 1,5
All - 2600 6
All - 3900 10
All - 52500 15

The table shows that the company's pricing policy is far from cheap. Fans of watching movies and videos online will have to pay a decent amount. On offers without a subscription fee, the price per 1 megabyte is 9.95 rubles.

Beeline users can activate additional traffic packages - Highway. The maximum is 30 GB for 1200 rubles. per month. Or renew the current kit in the billing month - 150 rubles. – 5 gigabytes. Which is better, Beeline or Tele2? Let's find out below.

What does Tele2 offer?


Tele2 is a good discounter. The main policy of this company is to make prices lower than those of competitors. The obvious disadvantage of the provider is . Offers are more suitable for use in one specific region. Relatively recently, the company has mastered the modern high-speed data transmission standard LTE. In every locality frequency range may vary.

Let's look at the contracts that Tele2 offers in 2019:

In addition to the main TPs, users can activate renewal services or additional traffic packages at any time. The provider has developed a significant list of similar options, as well as applications that help save money (unlimited in Opera Mini, instant messengers, navigators). The maximum add-on size reaches 50 Gigabytes for only 999 rubles per billing period. On contracts with per-minute billing, the price for 1 MB varies around 1.50 rubles.

Which company is better


Let's create a summary table to find out which Internet is better than Beeline, Megafon, Tele2 or MTS.

OperatorAvailability of 4GFull country coverageMobile control applicationPersonal AreaMaximum Internet package size, GBMaximum additional set, GBPartnership programs
MTS+ + + + 15 30 +
Megaphone+ + + + 20 36 +
Yota+ + + 30 No+
Beeline+ + + + 15 30 +
Tele 2+ + + 30 50 +

If we compare the given prices, the conclusion arises that Tele2’s conditions are most suitable for mobile Internet.

Attention! The cost indicated in the article corresponds to the Moscow region and Moscow.

Today we looked at what popular Russian providers offer their consumers. As a result, Tele2 takes a leading position. But the final decision is yours.


When choosing an operator for mobile communications, many Russian residents are faced with a dilemma, and many ask the question: which is better - MTS or MegaFon. It is also worth noting that the Beeline operator is also quite popular on Russian market telecommunications services. Mobile phone has become an integral part of the lives of many people, because thanks to this device you can keep in touch with business partners and relatives, as well as use the Internet to access various sites and programs.

Which connection is better: MTS or MegaFon

When choosing a card for your gadget, you should take into account what the device will be used for. Determining which connection is better: MTS or MegaFon, Beeline, is based on your own expectations from the chosen tariff, since they have quite different conditions. For tablets, it is better to choose operators that specifically provide Internet traffic, since regular tariffs from mobile communication leaders may not meet consumer needs. If a package is purchased for a phone, then you should start from the number of calls (international, regional, etc.), the number of SMS, as well as the traffic consumed.

All Russian operators(MegaFon, Beeline, etc.) offer their clients modems into which they can insert a company card and use prepaid traffic anywhere in the country with a good level of coverage. Many subscribers are interested in whether it is possible to use a MegaFon modem for an MTS card, and experts note that the device will not function (work is possible only after reflashing the modem).

MegaFon vs MTS – users' choice

Considering that there are many subscribers in the country, their choice falls on MTS, Beeline, and MegaFon. However, often the acquisition of a package of a particular operator occurs spontaneously, without studying the conditions. Only after a certain period of using the card does a person want to purchase a modem or connect additional functions to your number. Operator MegaFon versus MTS is healthy competition with many satisfied subscribers on both sides. Having created a special survey, experts highlighted the features of the three main operators in the Russian space: MegaFon, Beeline and MTS.

Megaphone. This operator has the following positive features:

  • many base stations providing good coverage even to the most remote corners of the country;
  • active implementation of advanced technologies in the operation of the mobile network;
  • adequate cost of services and related products (modems, applications, etc.).

Having posed the question on some forums: MTS or MegaFon (2017), many subscribers responded that it was the large coverage area that became the impetus for purchasing a MegaFon operator card.

Beeline. This popular operator has the following advantages:

  • many different tariffs and additional services(routers, modems, etc.);
  • Beeline is famous for its promotional programs for subscribers;
  • competent specialists of the Beeline support center.

MTS. This successful company stands out for the following features:

  • usage modern equipment to improve the quality of communication;
  • interesting tariff plans;
  • many related products (applications, modems, routers, etc.).

Users also noticed that some operators have a number of small disadvantages, which include: periodic problems with contact center, unfavorable roaming conditions, as well as the considerable cost of modems, tariff plans and additional services.

I will not reveal a big secret if I say that with the advent of fourth generation networks, the mobile Internet made a big leap, even catching up to some extent home Internet. Personally, I noticed that I no longer try to reach public Wi-Fi when I have a 4G icon on my phone. LTE makes it possible to watch multimedia content in maximum quality and communicate with friends and family through video calls without pixelating the image. Of course this type connections are not yet on such a large scale, but at least in large cities it is coming quite actively. In Moscow, this service is provided by four providers, and we decided to conduct a small test, collecting a bit of statistics.

For testing, we needed four identical smartphones with LTE support. And since Huawei is one of the locomotives of LTE development, the choice fell on the model Huawei Ascend G6 (review). This device is perfect for the role of an average solution with LTE support and good operating speed. Personally, I really liked the device as an inexpensive and high-quality solution. The latest firmware was installed on all devices.

The testing involved SIM cards from mobile operators MegaFon, MTS, Beeline and Yota. The last participant is a newcomer to the cellular services market, but it was one of the first to develop a 4G network. Yes there's more virtual provider, owned by MegaFon, but it had its own LTE towers. It was the appearance of this guest that became the pretext for conducting a test, the main point of which is whether 4G from MegaFon and Yota are now different things, or whether the merger has already occurred globally. This material cannot be called a full-fledged test of mobile operators. There are several reasons for this:

1) The test was carried out only on data transfer speed, that is, the quality of calls is not taken into account. 3G performance indicators are also not taken into account.

2) All measurements were taken at different times and days, which will be indicated in the course of all the characteristics.

3) On the ground, one point was used, and the distribution of networks is a very complex nature. So, turning a corner, you can get completely different results. Testing was carried out in fact “here and now”.

4) At the last stage of testing, unfortunately, one of the testing resources fell off, so the data on it is not entirely complete.

However, despite all these “buts”, the experiment we conducted gave useful information on issues of synthetic tests and network behavior under various conditions.

So this is how we tested. The cycle is quite simple. The sequence of actions will help if you yourself want to check the screenshots that we posted separately. To begin with, we, of course, determine the position on the map using “ Google Maps".. With this test we check the number of lost packets, which indicates instability of data transmission. To test the outgoing speed, we used the Iperf client, selecting open server and specifying the following command “-c iperf.eltel.net -P 10 -w 100k”. This command makes 10 file sends, giving general statistics and speed. To analyze the incoming speed, we decided to simply use the Mail.ru Cloud. Of course, we carried out measurements of downloading files from fast servers a couple of times, but in general the main task– find out a really working option. You can’t do without a SpeedTest measurement; it will act as an indicator indicating the state of the network.

After multiple passes, we found that SpeedTest is indeed quite suitable as the main determinant of network transmission quality. Of course, you shouldn’t believe in numbers higher than 60 Mbit/s per input, but in general, if SpeedTest writes about 30 Mbit/s, then it is so. The situation with outgoing traffic is somewhat different. In this case, everything depends on the provider, and Yota stood out because its indicators in SpeedTest and Iperf were very different, indicating that in reality the provider cuts Upload, while the synthetic test shows high numbers. But other providers, with large “virtual” numbers, showed similar results in the combat mission. Returning to the issue of downloading, in a couple of cases we encountered a situation where LTE speeds were very low; in a couple of places, for the sake of experiment, a comparison was made with 3G. As a result, it turned out that even with a low fourth-generation network level, it was still ahead of HSDPA in downloading large files. The comparison between Yota and MegaFon was also interesting. In general, the network indicators were very close to each other, but sometimes severe discrepancies still do not allow us to say that the same base stations(BS).

Below I will describe each of the 22 points with small comments. The main indicators will be screenshots from SpeedTest. To summarize, I will introduce a 3-point rating, where a point will be deducted if the speed value in SpeedTest is less than 10 Mbit/s, or if packet loss is more than 5%. If there is no 4G, the operator at the point will receive 0. You can download an archive with screenshots from SpeedTest from here.

1. The start began from Rechnoy Vokzal metro station on a day off in the evening. At this point, Yota and MegaFon performed very poorly. Both providers not only had problems with speed, but also with a small packet loss of 1-2%.

2. M. Dynamo, Mail.ru tower. Beeline has relatively low performance, but even with them there were no problems with uploading HD content to YouTube.

3. M. Sports. Beeline, despite its leadership in SpeedTest, showed a large packet loss of 6%. This and some of the subsequent tests were carried out in traffic on the Third Transport Ring (third transport ring), so the networks are heavily congested.

4. M. Dubrovka. Yota had a low level, while the rest showed good results.

5. M. Krasnoselskaya. All subjects showed excellent results.

6. Having made a big detour to change the iron horse, we ended up in the city of Khimki on the street. Nakhimov. In this place, Yota and MTS performed very poorly, while in the courtyards it was generally possible to catch an empty zone. However, Beeline again showed a packet loss of 6%.

7. MKAD, 80 km. Only Beeline turned out to be an outsider with low speed, but without packet loss.

8. Dmitrovskoe highway, no. 89. Stop for a snack. All participants delivered above 20 Mbit/s, and Beeline had a packet loss of 3%.

9. M. Vladikino. In this region, all providers showed low packet loss. However, MegaFon and Yota performed worst of all, showing not only poor speed, but also losses of more than 5%. It is quite possible that there is a general BS going on here.

10. M. VDNH. Yota is experiencing a loss of speed in this area compared to other operators.

11. M. Elektrozavodskaya. All demonstrated high-quality data transmission. In SpeedTest, MTS showed a high response value, but these figures were not confirmed in the terminal.

12. New day, again a day off, again evening. MegaFon and Yota pleased us with the connection speed, but Beeline performed very poorly, but it’s not as bad as MTS, where we didn’t see an LTE connection at all.

13. M. Molodezhnaya. MTS showed the least in the test, but it is still above 10 Mbit/s (the maximum declared 3G speed according to the specifications).

14. M. University. In this area, MegaFon and Yota noticed minor packet losses of less than 5% and low download speeds. But the upload speed, on the contrary, turned out to be high, and here, as before, it is clear that Yota intends to cut uploads to 1 Mbit/s.

15. M. Varshavskaya. MTS runs on the edge of 10 Mbit/s. So, as a preventive measure, 1 point is deducted.

16. M. Cherkizovskaya. Another black hole. This time for both MTS and Beeline. However, MegaFon also loses a point for low speed.

17. New day. This time it’s a weekday, and here we’ll test the strength of the center of Moscow. M. Teatralnaya, the test was carried out after the presentation Huawei Honor 6 (video) (what a coincidence). This time Yota showed a decrease in speed compared to opponents. MTS showed a packet loss of 3%.

18. M. Tverskaya. Lots of Internet users and corporations sitting nearby. Everyone ended up either below or on the border. MTS and MegaFon were distinguished by the loss of packages at the level of 5%.

19. M. Kitay-Gorod. MegaFon was on the border, Yota was also close, but 11.5 Mbit/s is still not 3G. MTS and Beeline performed excellently.

20. M. Tretyakovskaya. In this section, Beeline performed the worst, with weak numbers in SpeedTest and packet loss of as much as 27%. MTS also receives a minus point for being in a borderline state.

21. It's hot. M. Kyiv, Kyiv station, almost rush hour. Beeline and MTS coped without problems, but Yota and MegaFon gave up slightly.

22. End point. Belorussky railway station. 18.00, rush hour. Only MTS performed poorly, showing low speed and 14% packet loss. The rest did a great job.

As you can see, in most places the operators show good results. The average speed in Moscow is around 20 Mbit/s. Of course, due to the heavy load in the metropolis, it is difficult for 4G networks to show all their capabilities. But for the end user, the maximum speed is not so important, and the current indicators are quite enough for comfortable work.

As already mentioned, it was the emergence of Yota as mobile operator forced me to do this test. Many people are interested in the declared unlimited Internet from this operator. But, alas, it has limitations. Firstly, the already mentioned reduction in upload speed, which for many negates the advantages of LTE in the form of fast file downloading. Secondly, when distributing the Internet via Wi-Fi, the speed is reduced to 1 Mbit/s (that is, you cannot use a Yota SIM card to conveniently access the Internet from other devices). The cost of unlimited traffic is 300 rubles, but you cannot buy it separately without a package of minutes, and now the cost increases to a minimum of 440 rubles per month. The disadvantage is that there is a separate tariff for tablets (iPads and devices that are not capable of making calls and have a large diagonal will be considered tablets).

At MegaFon, we signed up for the “Internet S” tariff, costing 350 rubles, which includes 3 GB of traffic - this amount will be affordable for the average user.

At the time of testing, the Beeline tariff line did not include the Highway tariff, which gives the same 3 GB of traffic for the same 350 rubles, but in currently Until January, the provider has a “the faster, the free” service, which does not take into account 4G traffic. It would be nice if they extended this promotion on a permanent basis, competing with Yota. We used the “All for 900” package, the cost of which is 30 rubles per day (5 GB of traffic, a package of calls and SMS are provided).

MTS has two options for providing the Internet: purchasing packages and the BIT service. In our case, the BIT would be inconvenient due to the limitation of high-speed daytime traffic. The cost is standard package for 3 GB is the standard 350 rubles. The relatively unlimited “SuperBIT” costs the same, but it has a large number of restrictions. In fact, it will be of interest to those who are not entirely sure of the traffic they consume, giving them the opportunity not to spend more.

The choice of a mobile operator must be approached individually. It is necessary to weigh not only tariff options and the quality of services provided, but also personal experience working with operators, as well as the experience of friends. One way or another, having examined the work of 4G in Moscow, we can say that the operators have done a good job providing users with affordable and fast mobile internet. It’s difficult to identify just one leader; everyone did the same, plus or minus. However, qualitative growth is still required, especially in the context of the increasing availability of LTE smartphones. Let's hope that the economic downturn will not undermine the operator's plans to introduce 4G in new cities and that's all more people will be able to surf the Internet at high speeds.

the site expresses gratitude to Huawei for providing the Huawei Ascend G6 for testing.