Yota, which until recently developed its networks in the Wi-Max format, has now become the fifth federal operator. You can connect to Yota in most federal regions of our country. Let's take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of this operator.
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What's new on offer from Iota?
I must say right away that Yota's tariffs are fundamentally different from those of other mobile operators. If you want to connect a tariff for mobile Internet, then you will be pleasantly surprised by the complete unlimited. Internet traffic is free of charge on all tariffs. The only difference is speed.
Moreover, when you run out of money on the balance, Yota does not block access to the Internet, but makes the speed minimum (up to 64 kbps).
If you choose a tariff for a smartphone, then Yota does not differentiate the traffic speed. On a smartphone, it always remains high. As for the tariffs for tablets, there are three options:
- 512 Kbps - 390 rubles per month
- 2.1 Mbps - 550 rubles per month
- Maximum speed (in some regions with 4G it reaches 20 Mbit / s) - 650 rubles per month
Prices are presented for Moscow and the Moscow region. In the regions, they are lower.
Perhaps, with its tariffs for tablet computers, Yota fell in love with all "Internet addicted" people. But, and tariffs for smartphones can cause admiration and envy of competitors.
As mentioned above, all tariffs have high-speed unlimited Internet. In addition, calls within the Yota network are free of charge. And if you wish, you can add free SMS (for 50 rubles).
As for the difference in tariffs for smartphones, they consist in the number of free minutes to numbers of other operators in Russia:
- 300 minutes - 140 rubles
- 500 minutes - 340 rubles
- 1000 minutes - 640 rubles
- 2000 minutes - 1040 rubles
- 3000 minutes - 1540 rubles
The cost of the selected package is added to the cost of the Internet (300 rubles) and unlimited SMS (if required).
We can say that Yota provides its users with one tariff for smartphones, but which everyone can customize for themselves.
Also, the mobile operator Yota provides tariffs for home Internet (desktop PC, laptop and other devices). Tariffs differ only in speed:
- 512 Kbps - 400 rubles
- 640 kbps - 450 rubles
- 768 Kbps - 500 rubles
- 896 Kbps - 550 rubles
- 1 Mbps - 600 rubles
- 1.3 Mbps - 650 rubles
- 1.7 Mbps - 700 rubles
- 2.1 Mbps - 750 rubles
- 3.1 Mbps - 800 rubles
- 4.1 Mbps - 850 rubles
- 5 Mbps - 900 rubles
- 5.7 Mbit / s - 950 rubles
- 6.4 Mbit / s - 1000 rubles
- 7.1 Mbps - 1050 rubles
- 7.8 Mbps - 1100 rubles
- 8.5 Mbit / s - 1150 rubles
- 9.2 Mbps - 1200 rubles
- 10 Mbps - 1250 rubles
- 12 Mbps - 1300 rubles
- 15 Mbps - 1350 rubles
- Maximum speed - 900 rubles (Promotion)
Prices are per month. But, you can also use this service:
- For 2 hours - 50 rubles (maximum speed)
- Per day - 150 rubles (maximum speed)
IMPORTANT: Mobile operator Yota offers high-speed 4G Internet in more than 40 cities of Russia. But, the spread of access to LTE networks does not end there, and over time, the geography of Yota's coverage will only increase.
Benefits of Yota
In addition to excellent prices and flexible tariffs, Yota mobile operator offers roaming-free space throughout Russia. If you left for another region of our country, then the mobile communication and Internet services will be charged as in your home region.
Unfortunately, this benefit is available only for the first thirty days of being in a region other than the Yota connection point. After 30 days, the operator will offer you a different tariff. True, there is no data yet on what the tariff will be.
Disadvantages of Yota
Yota is a virtual operator. That is, one that uses the networks of another operator. In the case of Yota, this “other” operator is Megafon. That is, this operator is completely dependent on Megafon and the state of its networks.
Also, the disadvantages include the inability to use a smartphone with a Yota sim card as an access point for a Wi-Fi network. So much for UNLIMITED Internet. But, you can slightly minimize this drawback by using a router and paying for Wi-Fi Internet services for 2 or 24 hours.
And of course, the main disadvantage of this mobile operator is the small coverage area. True, it increases every day. Perhaps Yota has already come to your city?
Mobile operator Yota: reviews
Evgeniy. They have been using this operator for several months. Connected it for both smartphone and tablet. And when I move to the house under construction now, I will also order a router with a Yota SIM card. I really like the quality of the connection and the ability to track the number of minutes left for calls to other operators. The only drawback is the ability to increase the speed of the Internet only after the current tariff expires. Not very comfortable.
Igor. For the summer I leave the city and live there. Naturally, there is no wired Internet there. Before that I used "Megafon", but I found out that they have a subsidiary company Yota, which "covers" my dacha community. I took it for a test, and now I am not parting. I even watch football through my laptop. Thanks Yota!
Video. Yota Review
Mobile operator Yota, appeared on the communication services market relatively recently, but has already won many fans. Previously, this brand was called Wi-Max, but later it was remade into Yota. The company is currently a full-fledged provider of mobile services, including SMS messaging, voice calls, and high-speed Internet access. The following overview will help you choose the options you need.
What this operator offers
Why is such a cellular company better than others? The main difference between the Yota company and other mobile operators is that it offers its users unlimited Internet from the phone and other devices, as well as good communication quality at a low price. The tariff has no differentiation for low-speed and high-speed traffic. For example, for mobile Internet users on a smartphone, the Internet speed is provided without restrictions.
Any client of a cellular company can customize the network to suit their needs. Users are provided with a tariff called "Basic". With its help, you can perform the following actions:
- Enable or disable sending SMS messages.
- Select baud rate.
- Configure the desired package of minutes.
This service is very convenient, since the client of the mobile operator himself forms his tariff, removing unnecessary or adding what is needed. The tariffs from the Iota operator will appeal to those subscribers who want to independently form a list of options. Prices for the Internet, communication and sending SMS messages will not change, even if the user travels across Russia, in other words, is in intranet roaming. This is evidenced by numerous reviews of users of this operator.
You should be aware that if a subscriber is in another region for more than a month, the tariff will change in accordance with the prices set in this zone. As for incoming calls, unlike other mobile operators, Yota will not deduct money from the user's balance.
If a subscriber chooses the Internet on a computer or tablet, then he can independently adjust the speed. To do this, he needs to go to the website of the mobile operator, where an overview of additional options will open. The user will only have to select the required data transfer by moving the sliders to the desired position. This mobile operator will appeal to the following categories of cellular network users:
- Lovers of surfing the Internet.
- People who travel frequently.
- Businessmen.
The main focus of such a mobile company is on providing the Internet, which can be connected to any device. What is the disadvantage of such an operator? The downside is that users will not be able to distribute the Internet from their smartphones. To do this, they need to purchase a modem or router from "Yota", for which there are positive user reviews. In addition, the network has made a restriction on downloading torrent files with movies, music and other software from the Internet.
Therefore, for those who want to download them in large volumes, a mobile operator is not suitable. Such an Internet will appeal to those who constantly communicate on social networks and online messengers. To test the baud rate, proceed as follows:
- You need to download a mobile application or go to the operator's website.
- Log in via login and password or register, where an overview of the menu functions will be available.
- Click on the "Settings" button, which will open the "Check speed" section.
- After all the necessary manipulations, the subscriber will receive a traffic report.
All services are managed through a special application that can be downloaded to your phone or web page. Using this method, you can not only connect or disconnect the tariff, but also consult with a service center specialist, as well as leave feedback on the quality of services.
"Mobile slavery" is abolished, long live freedom of choice! " - with approximately these words, tens of thousands of people ran to telecom stores to switch from one mobile operator to another. SIM cards were shuffled between the “big three” and everything remained in its place. Those who were dissatisfied with Megafon went to MTS or Beeline, just as those who were dissatisfied with the latter went over to Megafon's side. And everyone is happy. However, in this turmoil, many did not notice the emergence of a new telecom operator - the Yota company, which began distributing its SIM cards to everyone. One of them was me. How the transition process went and what happened in the end, I will now tell you.
Background
It all started a couple of years ago, when I decided to get myself a mobile router that I used on trips. The device has helped out more than once in places where mobile operators could not provide high-quality communication. Now this router is in my dacha and works around the clock, providing unlimited Internet to all connected devices. Having learned at the beginning of the year that Yota decided to enter the cellular market, I decided to find out in more detail what the new operator offers and what benefits I will get if I decide to switch to it.
Everything turned out to be very simple (which cannot be said about the main “players” of the market): you buy as many minutes as you need (from 100 per month) and additionally connect an unlimited SMS package for a symbolic 50 rubles. The Internet is already included in the price and also has no traffic restrictions. One tariff without many options and incomprehensible write-offs - that was exactly what I needed. “Jumping” every few months from tariff to tariff in search of a more profitable and convenient offer, and even connecting some options, the description of which is even more confusing than the name, is simply tired. And how infuriated me messages like “You are approaching the threshold of shutdown, tk. spent all the traffic, now we will disconnect everything for you. Do you want to renew? Send SMS to the number, wait for confirmation, send a new one ... ”. Therefore, two main factors “for” the transition were fulfilled: simple tariff, unlimited Internet.
Before connecting
Naturally, since all the laws have been adopted and I can leave my “precious” number for myself, I began to find out what I need to move. I already mentally imagined that paperwork, data reconciliation and other “service”, so familiar to a Russian person, awaits me. Our colleague, Sergey Suyagin, has already written on the pages of Lifehacker about this, and his material somewhat worried me. I didn’t want to conduct conversations for 20 minutes at the point of sale with consultants, who often did not understand the subject of the conversation. However, in reality, everything turned out much easier.
To connect to Yota, it was necessary to download a special application for iOS, read about the advantages of connecting and ... wait for a notification about when it would be possible to pick up your new SIM card. And this was, perhaps, the most unpleasant moment in the whole history - “Simka” had to wait about a month. Unfortunately, the exact date was not mentioned anywhere, so I had to be patient. Now, I think that the waiting time has decreased, since I, apparently, was in the first wave of dealing cards.
And so, on the cherished day, a notification was displayed on the display of my iPhone that I can pick up my SIM card. The newly opened application acquired new functions, where I was shown the points of issue of cards and even asked to plot a route to the nearest one, where I went.
It is worth saying that the SIM card could be ordered with courier delivery, but I decided to play it safe and go personally, since there were several points of issue.
Connect / Transition
After reaching the nearest point of issue and informing the consultants about my choice, I was asked to name a certain confirmation code - a unique identifier that is displayed in the application after the notification that the card can be taken. Calling him and giving my passport, I announced my intention to leave my phone number. They printed out the transfer papers and gave me a package with a SIM card, having previously warned that the transfer would take 8 days and during this period the balance on the number should remain positive. Having paid 500 rubles, which will go to the balance sheet (no additional hundred rubles), I said goodbye and went home. The whole procedure took about five minutes.
Expectation
Throughout the entire period, as described in Sergey's article, notifications came to my number about when I could start using the new SIM card (and on the same day my practically former operator turned off the Internet for me), but for now she lay on the table. And then you probably asked the question: what kind of format is the SIM card issued and will it be necessary to cut it? Nothing supernatural is required from you. The package contains one card, but depending on the phone model, you pull out the size you need - all the parts are fastened together, so if you need an ordinary nano-SIM, pull out the smallest piece, if micro - then medium and if mini - then the whole card fully. The photo below shows that all three parts are fastened together, and you just need to “squeeze out” a piece of the desired size.
Usage
Eight days have passed. Exactly at midnight on the ninth day, the old SIM card notified me that “No network”. It's time to insert a new SIM card, which I immediately did. Initially, even the only tariff that exists with Yota is not connected to the card, you control all the communication parameters you need yourself (except for the Internet, it is immediately included and you pay a fixed amount for it). In order to start using the SIM card, you need to launch the application and select the package of minutes and SMS that suits you, if necessary. Once this is done, you can start using it.
I really like this approach. Everything you need can be controlled by yourself, and for this you do not need to send various SMS to any number to connect to services, everything is done through the application. Routers from Yota are managed in a similar way: you put a certain amount on the balance and connect the required speed, which can be changed during the period. That is, you pay not for traffic, but for the connection speed.
Appendix
Now about one of the most important - about the application. There is nothing complicated in it, only the necessary: the start screen meets us with information about the remaining minutes and connected SMS, information about the balance and the menu of connection conditions. At any time you can open it and find out about your expenses, and for this, again, you don’t need to send anything or call anything - all the information is in front of your eyes. If you suddenly realize that you do not fit into the limit of minutes, you can buy them directly in the application, as well as replenish the balance - for these operations you do not need to look for a terminal or use inconvenient web versions of operators' personal accounts, everything is done in a couple of taps on the smartphone display. And since the Internet is unlimited, it is quite difficult to remain without communication. Unfortunately, the application has not yet been optimized for iOS 8 - hence, apparently, the interface slows down and crashes when trying to specify a package of minutes. But, I think, by the time of the official release of Apple's operating system, this issue will be resolved.
In the same application, you can contact the support service via chat, which is also convenient. One click on the button and you will be connected with a specialist who will help with your question.
Support
And in this paragraph, they usually write about what a bad support service. Yes, I myself have said and written about this more than once, without even taking into account the telecom operators. As a rule, clients are dissatisfied with the level of services provided, as well as the fact that, due to their inattention or lack of understanding of the subject of the problem, they blame consultants and other service workers for everything. To some extent, both are right, on both sides there are incompetent or unwilling to help / explain people. And one of the most important problems is insufficient attention to the client and the waiting time in solving his question / problem.
I contacted Yota support many times for various reasons, not only when changing a SIM card and operator. A couple of months ago, I started having constant problems connecting the router to the LTE network, which I told the support service about. They took my application for processing, they said that the base station was overloaded, and they promised not only to unload it, but also to deal with the hardware (perhaps it was a replacement of equipment or an upgrade of the existing one). Naturally, it was immediately clear that this would take a long time. However, after about four weeks, I received a letter in the mail notifying me that the problems had been fixed, along with a proposal to evaluate the quality of the connection: “Everything is fine” and “No, it still works poorly”. It is clear that the phrase “Your opinion is very important to us” is mostly a standard excuse, but in this case I chose the first option, since the connection became more stable a week before the notification.
With the receipt of a new SIM card, I also ran into problems, which I mentioned just above: the application crashed every time I tried to choose the packages of minutes and SMS that were suitable for myself. After describing the problem in the chat, which is also available on the company's website, they helped me within 10 minutes by connecting the packages that interested me. I didn't really count on such an approach, but expected to read something like “This OS is not yet supported by the application, so use the current version or wait for optimization for the new one”. Agree, not everyone is the first to install beta versions of a mobile operating system, so I would take this answer quite adequately. But, fortunately for me, the problem was resolved without rolling back to stable iOS 7. It should be noted that the operator's waiting time does not exceed the norm - of all my calls, I had to wait for an answer more than five minutes only once.
Connection quality
While I went through with a new SIM card for only a week, so it is difficult to objectively assess the quality to the full, but I constantly measure the speed and their performance pleases me: the download speed several times was about 8 Mbit / s (of course, it also depends on your location), but has not yet dropped below 3 Mbps. The 3 Mbps figure was the maximum for my previous operator, so the quality improvements are immediately visible. As you can imagine, we are of course talking about 3G networks, since I have an iPhone 5 at my disposal, which does not work in our LTE frequencies. But with LTE, I think there will be no problems either, but we will check this only after the release of the iPhone 6.
As for voice calls, everything is quite clear here: Yota uses its towers to provide the Internet, and Megafon stations for voice calls. Nevertheless, the connection for all three main operators seems to be more or less the same, so at this point - no revelations. In places where Megafon does not catch, Yota will not work either.
Minuses
Of course, there are disadvantages everywhere, even in Yota. There are two of them: when using a smartphone in modem mode, the speed is limited to 64 Kbps, and when downloading torrents - 32. And if the second limitation is quite reasonable, then the first one is not very pleasant to me. In those moments when there was no Wi-Fi connection, the iPhone always came to the rescue, with which it was possible to access the network without any problems. Now it is very inconvenient due to the low speed. I perfectly understand why this is done, but I hope that the company will nevertheless revise its restrictions and raise the speed at least twice.
What's the bottom line?
In the end, I got what I wanted: no sophisticated tariff plans, hundreds of options and constant traffic restrictions. I don’t have a lot of phone calls, so 100 minutes a month should be enough, and if the Internet speed does not drop below 3 Mbps, it will finally be possible to use FaceTime for conversations. After all, the sound quality is much better there than over the cellular network. And on long trips across Russia - it will help out a lot by the lack of roaming within the country. In any case, Yota for me is, first of all, the Internet, moreover, unlimited, and so far none of the operators can offer it.
This review has been prepared based on the use of a SIM card in St. Petersburg. Prices and call quality may vary depending on the region.
Would you like to change the operator or have you already done so? Share your experience in the comments!
The Yota brand belongs to Scartel LLC, which in turn is a subsidiary of Megafon OJSC. Iota offers cellular services on the GSM and 3G / 4G networks of Megafon.
Coverage area of the mobile operator Yota
The new federal operator has so far begun to provide its services only in Moscow, the Moscow region, St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, and then only on a limited basis. In the near future, Yota should be launched in every Russian region.
Yota advantages
The new operator promises its subscribers unlimited internet for smartphones, sms, free calls to other Yota users, 300 free minutes of calls to numbers of other Russian operators, as well as roaming free space throughout Russia. So far, the new operator offers only one tariff. The monthly maintenance fee for this tariff is 750 rubles. However, other tariffs will appear later.
Disadvantages of Yota
Yota's tariff was not without a fly in the ointment. So, completely unlimited Internet "Iota" can not be called. The operator notes that the tariff is intended exclusively for use on smartphones, mobile phones, tablets. The use of Yota SIM cards on other devices (including routers, modems, desktop computers and laptops) is not allowed.
However, the "surprises" do not end there. The tariff is intended for use in relation to one SIM card on one device. The use of a card inserted into the phone to provide the possibility of additional use of communication from other devices is not allowed (in particular, we are talking about distributing the Internet via a wireless channel).
If these restrictions are violated, the operator will reduce the Internet speed to 32 kilobits per second. In addition, Yota will also limit the speed to 32 kilobits for services that use network resources to access torrents and download a large file. It turns out that downloading torrents with this tariff will be quite problematic.
Yota service center and personal account
In order to increase comfort and an optimal price, the operator abandoned traditional sales channels. You can order a Yota SIM card both through the operator's website and through a special mobile application, and receive it by courier or at the point of issue. Their address is listed in the mobile app.
The company opted for online service, ditching the traditional contact center. Subscriber support will be carried out using a chat on the website or in a mobile application. Services will also be managed entirely through the app.
The mobile operator Yota appeared on the Russian market quite recently - before that, networks in the Wi-Max format were deployed under this brand. Today, Yota is a full-fledged mobile operator. The network offers such basic services as unlimited Internet access, voice calls and SMS / MMS sending. That is, there is everything you need to communicate with friends, relatives and colleagues.
What is so good about the new mobile operator Yota? What are its advantages, since such operators as MTS, MegaFon, Beeline, Tele2 and Skylink are already operating in Russia? We will try to answer these questions in our small review.
What's New Iota Offers
The new cellular communication from Yota is fundamentally different from the services offered by other cellular operators. And the main difference is the provision of truly unlimited Internet access for tablets and PCs. Other operators also have it, but there are speed limits - some package is given without restrictions, but after its exhaustion, the speed drops to 64 kbps, which is very little. As for the Yota operator, it offers its subscribers high-speed unlimited Internet, without distinction for high-speed and low-speed traffic.
For example, when using the Internet on a tablet, the speed is not limited by anything - we can enjoy the maximum access speed. As for the Internet on computers, here you can adjust the access speed - the higher the speed, the higher the subscription fee. But there is no such thing as a "packet of traffic at maximum speed" in this network. The disadvantage of accessing the Internet from a smartphone is that there are limits from 5 to 30 GB. Also on the network there is restriction on downloading torrents, which is unlikely to please future subscribers. But in general, the rates are quite suitable for surfing, instant messengers, mail and social networks.
You can learn how to test the speed of Yota from a special review devoted to this issue.
In addition to the main traffic packages, Yota offers its subscribers additional unlimited traffic to access messengers Skype, Viber, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Telegram, as well as social networks Vkontakte, Odnoklassniki, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
In addition to unlimited internet, Yota offers roaming-free space throughout Russia... That is, we can move around the country and not overpay for communication services. On-net calls are free by default, and calls to numbers of any other Russian operators are made within the ordered package of minutes - and also without overpayment.
Mobile communications Yota offers a single tariff for all smartphone owners. But this tariff has a unique feature - it is fully customizable to the needs of subscribers and offers them regulated volumes of services. We can configure packages of minutes and traffic, add / disable unlimited SMS, activate the "Unlimited applications" option. That is, we form our own tariff, which is very, very beneficial. Yota tariffs for cellular communication will certainly appeal to those who want to form their tariffs in accordance with their preferences. Moreover, the rates will not change even in intranet roaming. But if we stay in another region for more than 30 days, the tariffication will change in accordance with the "Regional" tariff. Incoming calls will remain free of charge.
Similar tariffs, only without the ability to make calls and send / receive SMS, are valid for tablets, modems and routers - here we can adjust the speed of Internet access. But the traffic is still unlimited! Yota operator services are managed via the Internet - using a profile on the operator's website or using a mobile application for smartphones. With the help of these tools, we can also get the help of the service center specialists.
The Yota operator offers not just Internet, but high-speed Internet at 4G speeds. Thanks to this, we can enjoy high-speed access where the corresponding networks operate - and this is more than a hundred Russian cities. In the future, the geography of 4G will expand, but we can use communication in other standards - this is 2G and 3G, while remaining online throughout Russia.
Who will be interested in this operator
The new mobile operator Yota will be of interest to the following categories of subscribers:
- Travelers;
- Lovers of high-speed Internet;
- Business users;
- Technically advanced people.
Accordingly, for everyone else it will be practically uninteresting, since the main advantage of Yota is the provision of high-speed Internet, which is already included in the subscription fee.
