Hello new product lovers! A new operator has arrived mobile communications - VK Mobile. Yes, the letters VK in the name are not just a coincidence with the vk.com domain, it is directly an operator from VKontakte. It would seem that there are already quite a few operators cellular communication and why else produce them, but no, in the regiment virtual operators are coming! So let's figure out what VK Mobile is and who needs it?
What is VK Mobile?
Let's start right away with the fact that VK Mobile is not a pure cellular operator, it is the so-called MVNO, that is, Mobile Virtual Network Operator. That is, VK Mobile does not have its own towers, communications and other things, all this is taken from a partner - Megafon. This is essentially the same as Yota. (By the way, Megafon is a pivotal operator for very, not only Yota and VK).
So the social network created by Pavel Durov decided to acquire its own network with blackjack and stickers. A test launch for a limited number of people was launched in April 2017, public testing began in June, and on July 15, I saw the news about the full start of sales of VK Mobile SIM cards! Well, what: we urgently need to run to order and test! Go?
How to order a VK Mobile SIM card
First of all, it is necessary to outline the boundaries of the work of the virtual operator VK Mobile. The SIM card can be ordered in 18 regions, including Moscow and the Moscow region, St. Petersburg and the region, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan and Novosibirsk. It is to these regions that the courier can deliver the "cherished" SIM card, or you can simply buy it in Megafon's communication stores.
Officially, there is a VK Mobile application for and, which will help the client to order and configure a SIM card. What I did in the first place was downloaded the application, launched it and turned off WiFi (since with WiFi app does not work and still requires to include exactly cellular network). After that, only one button appears - "Connect":
After clicking on it, the program throws the user into the browser window, where you need to enter your account VK (I only know how to enter from a computer) and already there start a DIALOGUE WITH A MAN! You understand the beauty this method?! On July 15, 2017, few people saw the news about the new operator VK Mobile, then a small %% of those who saw it went and downloaded the application, and then began to communicate with the VK moderators! And what if the start were more ambitious, how many moderators would it take to answer everyone ?! Bredyatina !!!
Well, okay, but what if someone doesn't guess to start a dialogue? In general, we start a dialogue, and in response we get this:
That is, a moderator is needed only to give one link and leave one smile! Can't you implement the transition to the application right away? Don't follow my path, just follow the link. By the way, you don't have to be the owner of a VK account to order a SIM card, but you need to sign in early! What for? What if I just want to get a SIM card, but not be on the social network and listen to music through Boom? Although, in this case, I cease to be the target audience ...
The logic, to be honest, is the most curious! By the way, I did not bother the courier service and drove in for a SIM card on my own, since the card shows Megafon salons, where you can join VK Mobile.
VK Mobile tariffs
Oh, this is where the fun begins! Super- calculation of the VK Mobile tariff can be found at official page, but we'll go through. So, first I will write everything, and then I will give comments and compare with another operator. So, for 399 rubles a month, subscribers are allowed:
- Unlimited traffic in the Vkontakte application, VK Live and Boom, including music, video and chats with stickers.
- Unlimited Boom music service ad-free subscription.
- Free calls to all VK Mobile users.
- No roaming charges (except Crimea, for obvious reasons).
- Cashback 50% when buying stickers and gifts on VKontakte.
- 2 GB internet rafic.
- 1.6 rubles per minute of calls with other operators and SMS.
Cool? Well, tell me cool! No bullshit, I agree! And that's why:
- 2 GB of Internet traffic is too little - VK Mobile believes that the same young people are their target audience and do not watch videos on YouTube and Twitch. With 2 GB there is absolutely nothing to do there!
- Interestingly, will traffic from a YouTube insert on the VKontakte website be considered internal (unlimited) or external (2 GB)?
- 1.6 rubles per minute with 400 rubles on the account turns into 250 minutes of net time - terribly little! Messengers? Yes, but only through VK you can communicate, as there may not be enough traffic on WhatsApp or FaceTime ...
- Cannot be used in tablets or modems - only smartphones and phones!
- Let's say no to torrents (well, okay, it's not really necessary on a smartphone) and Internet distribution via WiFi (but this is already a blow in the stomach) 🙁
- If a unlimited traffic from VKontakte will exceed 100 GB per month, then the speed may drop dramatically * sarcasm *
Is that great? Do you need it? And now a comparison with my current tariff from the "striped" operator: for 300 rubles a month I get (until I leave him nafig!):
- 500 minutes of calls to any operators in the Urals.
- 50 minutes for long distance calls.
- 1000 SMS.
- 5 GB of traffic.
Yes, I have to spend megabytes when logging into the VKontakte site, but I'm not limited only to it, and I can use Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and other chats, including video chats! I can share the Internet via WiFi and listen to any streaming service at your own discretion, at least for a fee, at least not. I am sure that you are now connected to a similar tariff as mine with huge traffic and "almost endless" minutes for conversations 🙂
Fail VK Mobile
He told about the VK Mobile tariff, he said about how to order a SIM card, but I'll tell you about the FILE now! So, I bought a SIM card, came home and inserted it into my phone. Well, more precisely, first I took a photo of a SIM card for Instagram and Facebook, and then inserted it into my phone. And nothing, the SIM card is not seen by the device. Well, okay, I thought, and went to visit, so that the next day I would go back to trying to activate the SIM card.
But even on the second attempt, nothing happened to me: the iPhone does not see the SIM card, Meizu is the same! I scratched my head, googled on the Internet, but found nothing. It looks like I was the first to run into a problem or on the weekend nobody wanted to deal with the new network. Already on a weekday I came to visit the salon where they sold me a SIM card, and right there the girl who sold me the card asked a question with a sly squint: "Well, did you manage to activate the SIM card?" “Alas, but no, it still doesn’t work out,” I complained. And then Miss reveals a secret to me: it turns out that right after I left the communication salon, they received a letter from the developers, which says that they have temporarily some problems and they will not be able to activate SIM card VK Mobile until JULY 20. FAIL!
That is, if I bought a SIM card with a number transfer (paid extra 100 rubles), what would happen? I have never switched to another operator with the number saved, and therefore I do not know all the intricacies of the procedure. What if my SIM card stopped catching the network due to a failure in VK Mobile? Well, okay, I won’t guess. Maybe nothing bad would have happened, but who knows ...
I do not know how serious this problem is and whether it has affected other cities and regions, but the fact that promotional activity on the official page in VKontakte is going downhill - for sure! And yet, about the files - when buying a SIM card, they did not take my passport. Moreover, I was not given a phone number! That is, the phone number will have to appear after activating the SIM card, but activation is not yet possible, and therefore I cannot tell you anything more about the network functionality and the VK Mobile program for smartphones ...
Who needs VK Mobile?
Based on the foregoing, one conclusion can be drawn: VK Mobile is not a new operator (even a virtual one), but in fact one of Megafon's tariff plans. Of the obvious advantages, only unlimited traffic on VKontakte and its services can be distinguished. So the tariff will be of interest only to consumers of this social network, no more. And then if you communicate equally on VK, Facebook and other networks and messengers, then 2 GB traffic is clearly not enough for you and you will always have to look for free WiFi.
The fact that there is an unlimited premium subscription to the Boom service is good, but it will be of interest only to existing subscribers, since all platforms have similar offers and there is no particular point in switching to this service. And for the same Apple Music or Yandex.Music, you still have to either pay or look for WiFi, since again the limit is 2 GB ...
Again, the youth, for whom the VK Mobile network is designed, lives not only for this social network, but also other services and services: video hosting YouTube and Twitch, photo editor Instagaram, online Games and just transitions to external resources from VKontakte. Traffic restrictions can hit this target audience very painfully, but, apparently, the owners of Mail.ru Group do not care much about this.
I am not a Telecom analyst (!!!), and therefore I can be very wrong, but it seems that VK Mobile will close soon enough and the connected users will be transferred back to the main Megaphone ... Although, it seems to me, there is one way to improve this situation: increase the number free services and games at the expense of Mail.ru! AND? Do you think it will burn out? Considering Mail.ru's audience, can it be possible to retain users? And there players in tanks, planes and other military equipment are not far away!
Less than a year has passed since the launch of the "best" mobile operator for young people, as it was called in MegaFon, and the news about the closure of "VK Mobile" thundered on the portals of many Internet publications.
Alas and ah, but the project, which was perceived by users and specialists very ambiguously and with a share of skepticism, still did not justify itself, and will be closed.
What happened
According to the commercial director of MegaFon, Vlad Wolfson, the decision to close the VK Mobile project was made jointly and unanimously.
Unfortunately, the project did not live up to expectations and was not received by the public and potential users with the enthusiasm that its creators initially were.
According to MegaFon's specialists, the number of subscribers of the new youth operator was so small that its continuation would be completely inappropriate. However, these data are not supported by any numbers.
What to do for current VK Mobile subscribers
Of course, such news caused a storm of emotions among the operator's active users, because their number, although insignificant, it should be understood that it is insignificant only in the context of the operator in comparison with other "Giants" of the cellular structure in Russia. In general, "VK Mobile" has thousands of users throughout the country, who were quite satisfied with the services provided.
Note that MegaFon treats such customers with understanding and appreciates their loyalty to VK Mobile. That is why, as Vlad Wolfson assured, the company's existing subscribers can continue to use the operator's services on standard terms corresponding to the selected tariff.
All VK Mobile subscribers were “transferred” to MegaFon service for tariffs of the “Turn on!” Series with the provision of a discount on service.
Recall that the cellular provider offered its customers the opportunity for 399 rubles a month to get a quota of 2 gigabytes of Internet traffic, access to completely unlimited use of the social network of the same name. VK networks, as well as the ability to call other subscribers of this operator free of charge. Calls to numbers of other operators were also made on very favorable terms - 1.60 rubles. for a minute of conversation.
Further prospects of the "VK Mobile" project
Despite the fact that current VK Mobile subscribers can continue to use cellular services in normal mode, it is easy to predict the future of the operator. Most likely, over time, the validity period of the current tariff will come to an end, and subscribers will be politely asked to switch to MegaFon with the possible preservation of the number and the choice of a new tariff package.
This can also be judged by the recommendations of the commercial director of MegaFon. As Vlad Wolfson said, already today VK Mobile subscribers can switch to any of the tariffs of the “Turn on!” Line, the tariffs of which are able to fully satisfy the needs of any of the existing clients of the liquidated company. Comparison of tariffs "Switch on!" ...
It is noteworthy that the company has not yet announced the news through its public on the VK.com social network. According to the press center, this information will be announced additionally by the end of March 2018. However, this does not prevent the operator's current subscribers from arranging "holivars" in the comments under the old posts in the community today, finding out why the operator, to whom they have been loyal to them over the past year, is doing this to them.
It remains for us to observe the development of events, which only confirm the obvious fact that the cellular communication market in Russia has long been overcrowded, and it becomes extremely difficult for its new participants to compete with the indisputable leaders in the person of Megafon, Beeline, MTS, Tele2, etc. ...
A new virtual telecom operator VK Mobile has appeared in Russia. Its advantage is unlimited use of the VKontakte network, 2 GB of the Internet and a free set of stickers every month. We compared VK Mobile with similar tariffs of the “big four”.
VK Mobile testing began on June 2, 2017. Then residents of 16 regions of the country could order the operator's SIM card. Now this option has become available throughout Russia, except for Crimea. The operator works on the basis of MegaFon equipment.
What is the advantage?
VK Mobile claims the following differences from the rest:
- Unlimited use of the VKontakte network (you can watch as many films as you like, listen to music, make calls between VK Mobile subscribers).
- Free music and its storage in the VOOM application. You can listen without connecting to the network (for those who often ride the subway or sit in bunkers).
- 2 GB of Internet to “another Internet” (sharing via WiFi is not available). If you wish, you can buy another 1 GB for 50 rubles.
- Once a month free set stickers.
For this you need to pay 399 rubles. per month, and another 1.6 rubles. for calls to phones of other operators and 1.6 rubles. for each SMS message. International calls: 35 rubles. per minute to the CIS countries, 55 rubles. - to Europe and 75 rubles. - to other countries. When purchasing VK stickers, 50% is returned to the VK Mobile account.
Test Drive
You can order a SIM card right in the group. There are two options: new number from free shipping (starts with 999) or your number, but the card can be picked up at the MegaFon's communication salon. In the first case, you need to pay 450 rubles, and in the second - 550 rubles. Regardless of the option 450 rubles. will be credited to the starting account.
We chose to deliver the card to the office. To do this, indicated the address, name of the recipient and the contact phone number. The specialist called to agree on the date and time of delivery. The card was brought the next day.
The starter kit fits in a branded case. It included a SIM card and stickers, which immediately went to the editorial office.
After installing the SIM card, a message came to the smartphone with a link to the application. But it was not possible to enter it - an error was displayed. It turned out that for correct work you had to turn off WiFi. Only this helped to enter the application.
Inside shows the balance of the card, service balances, cashback, additional services, help and settings.
Of the 450 rubles credited to the account when paying for the card, 399 rubles. was written off as subscription fee, the remaining 51 rubles. could be used to pay for calls and SMS. The connection quality was good, the Internet was everywhere, and the speed decreased only in the metro.
It's profitable?
Not. We compared VK Mobile with the tariffs of other operators, which are similar in price and range of services. For 399 rubles. The most favorable conditions are offered by Tele2, which has unlimited 5 social networks and instant messengers, 12 GB of Internet, 500 minutes of calls and 50 messages. VK Mobile wins only with unlimited on VKontakte from MTS, Beeline and MegaFon, but loses in terms of the set of phone calls and messages included in the fee.
|
Tele2 - My online |
MTS - Smart mini |
Beeline - All 1 |
Megaphone - Turn on! Write |
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Cost of 1 minute of conversation |
RUB 1.6 throughout Russia and unlimited on VK Mobile |
500 minutes are included in the subscription fee and unlimited on Tele2 |
350 minutes in the home region network and unlimited on MTS |
300 minutes per month for home region |
350 minutes in the home region network and unlimited to Megafon |
|
Cost of 1 SMS |
50 messages included in the subscription fee |
350 messages included in the subscription fee |
200 messages to numbers in the home region |
||
|
the Internet |
|||||
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In contact with |
Vkontakte, Facebook, Odnoklassniki, WhatsApp and Viber |
WhatsApp, Viber, eMotion |
|||
|
Monthly subscription fee |
399 RUB |
The virtual operator VKontakte was launched on the basis of the MegaFon network. Continuation of the installation for limited unlimited for users of social networks, this time especially for active users of the VKontakte network. For its audience, the package tariff turned out to be not bad, but peculiar.
Subscription fee - 399 rubles. a month, for this money they give unlimited Internet-traffic through the application and on the VKontakte website, as well as unlimited calls other VK Mobile subscribers. Internet traffic package for other directions - 2 GB per month, the option "Extend Internet" 2 GB is available for an additional fee. The Internet package (including unlimited VKontakte) is valid throughout Russia (except for Crimea and the Far East).
There are no packages of minutes for other operators and SMS packages in the tariff. But the uniform price of calls to all numbers is 1.60 rubles / min, including when traveling across Russia. SMS is also at a single price of 1.60 rubles. for a little thing. Interesting "enticement" - up to 50% of spending on purchases of stickers and other virtual gifts in "VKontakte" is promised to be credited to the account balance VK Mobile.
Phone numbers in DEF (code) 999. Nice, but can be inconvenient. Moscow is already accustomed to the fact that this numbering capacity is used by Yota subscribers. Naturally, no unlimited calls between Yota and VK Mobile are provided. They write about the launch territories: Moscow and the Moscow region, St. Petersburg and Leningrad region, Volgograd, Voronezh, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Perm, Rostov, Samara, Ufa, Chelyabinsk.
The distribution and connection scheme will most likely be similar to that of Yota. Fortunately, the mechanism is run in. You can order a SIM card at vk.cc/vkmsim. But they can also sell in communication salons, why not? The narrow specialization of VK Mobile in this sense gives MegaFon a certain freedom of maneuver. Probably, they expect that in the eyes of potential consumers the VK Mobile tariff will not overlap and compete with other offers of the operator.
Unfortunately (or fortunately), I personally am not a fan of social media, the only exception being Twitter. However, "VKontakte" is really "heard", and many resources duplicate their materials on this network. Plus a lot of unique content, plus support services for various companies, including mobile operators.
But, it would seem, why create a duplicate tariff? After all, quite recently MegaFon launched a new line of tariffs "Turn on", focused specifically on social networks. There is a definite meaning. The new virtual operator is focused strictly on the users of the VKontakte network, and there are many such users. Including many active users who do well without other social networks. It may seem strange, but not so few people practically do not go beyond their favorite social network, there is all the content that they are used to and want to consume. The new virtual operator turned out to be a niche one, but the question is about the size of this niche. Most likely, VK Mobile will be able to attract a certain number of subscribers.
As already written, the tariff is emphatically "sharpened" for users of the social network "VKontakte" and does not pretend to be universal. That is, this is not an ordinary package tariff with additional benefits for fans of social network activity, namely, a tariff for one social network with additional features other types of communication. It is both strong and weak side VK Mobile. It will be interesting to see how successful the project is. Either way, implementation costs are hardly prohibitive.
Much depends on the fate of the project. How viable is the virtual binding scheme itself? cellular operator to a social network? Examples of trying to combine social groups there were many in the kind of "cellular-mobile" clubs. Special rates for military personnel, for fans of a certain football club, for music lovers, fashion fans and god knows what else ... But it was all more of a model corporate rates, although sometimes with the external attributes of a virtual operator. And consumer niches were comparatively narrow.
The tight integration of the operator with the social network can become a driver of active connections. And maybe not, the future will show, and I will not dare to make any predictions. I am not inclined to exaggerate the importance of unlimited calls within VK Mobile, but returning 50% of what was spent on the social network to the balance can be a good incentive for those who are fond of all sorts of sticker-gifts. It is a pity that there are no statistics on the spending of regulars on VKontakte.
How it works
About the subscription fee 399 rubles. in a month I have already written. Connection cost - 450 rubles, of which 51 rubles. remains on the balance sheet.
Management and statistics of Internet package consumption via special application, which is recommended to be downloaded immediately after activating the SIM card. It is aimed at owners of smartphones, but for active users of the social network, this is logical.
As far as I understand, unlimited Internet within VKontakte will work in any case, but with a restriction. If the basic package of 2 GB is exhausted and "Extend Internet" is not connected for a separate fee, then Internet anlim will be provided at a speed of 64 Kbps.
Once a month, VK Mobile customers will be given a set of stickers, the rest of the "products" of the social network for money. The details of the mechanism for returning 50% of spending on the balance are not yet known. Is there a “lifespan” for these receipts? Is there a “ceiling” in the form of the maximum part of the subscription fee that can be redeemed in this way? Are these receipts real money, or can they be used only to pay for communication services?
The main question is the restrictions on the use of the SIM-card, if any. Will this tariff work only on smartphones and what about the possibility of distribution mobile internet over Wi-Fi? As far as I understand, the distribution of the Internet for a separate fee is not yet provided.
Perspectives
Judging by the design, attributes and name on the site, VK Mobile is positioned as a new mobile operator, and, most likely, the transition to it with your own number (MVNO) will be possible. From a statistical point of view, these will be MegaFon subscribers, but for most consumers this is not so important. The same Yota mobile successfully distances itself from the "owner" and is perceived as independent operator with your face.
An interesting question is the tariff policy of VK Mobile. Are you going to diversify the “grocery set” with other tariffs? Again, we'll find out soon. Given the positioning of the operator, there may be no other tariffs, “outside” Internet and the ability to call “outsiders” are additional services.
As already written, a highly specialized tariff has both advantages and disadvantages. People have different needs, and universal tariffs will not go anywhere, you can not worry about this. In the meantime, VK Mobile has been announced to work in the "public beta" mode.
However, there is no information about the virtual operator “VK Mobile” in the register of licenses in the field of communications.
PJSC "MegaFon" and "VKontakte" preferred the simplest option
Read completely
VK Mobile positions itself as a virtual telecom operator ( MVNO) on the base . However, there is no information about the virtual operator “VK Mobile” in the register of licenses in the field of communications.
Legally, VK Mobile subscribers are clients of the cellular operator of PJSC "MegaFon", which will provide a number of services under the VK Mobile trademark. In fact, MegaFon together with VKontakte have developed and launched a social network specialized for all users.
PJSC "MegaFon" and "VKontakte" preferred the simplest version of cooperation - cobrandin.
The management of the VKontakte social network does not provide information why they did not launch a full-fledged virtual telecom operator. However, there are only two possible reasons for this. The Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications for some reason did not issue a license to the social network to carry out activities in the field of providing mobile communications, or for purely economic reasons - it is easier and cheaper to create a branded tariff than to invest in the launch of a full-fledged MVNO.
You can connect to VK Mobile and become a subscriber in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar, Voronezh, Samara, Ufa, Volgograd, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, Perm, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk and Omsk.
So far, VK Mobile provides one with a subscription fee of 399 rubles per month.
Subscribers receive absolutely free communication within the network, and when calling other operators, they will have to pay 1.6 rubles per minute of conversation. SMS messages also cost 1.6 rubles.
The operator within the tariff provides unlimited Internet traffic within the social network "VKontakte"including listening to music and watching videos. Of the restrictions - if the limit of 100 GB per month is exceeded, the subscriber will be limited to the speed, downloading via torrents and distributing the Internet via Wi-Fi is prohibited.
VK Mobile operates without roaming throughout Russia, with the exception of Crimea. On the peninsula, outgoing and incoming calls to numbers of Russian operators will cost 9.99 rubles per minute, SMS messages - 4.9 rubles, 1 MB of Internet - 9.9 rubles.
Learn more about tariff plan you can familiarize yourself.
VK Mobile has launched a specialized mobile appwhich is available in