Iota Megafon: comparison of operators, tariff plans, points of sale, advantages and disadvantages of companies

The operators MegaFon and Yota became one in July 2012, when MegaFon PJSC and Scartel LLC decided to merge their assets. Before this they worked separately. Yota itself appeared in 2007 as an operator of WiMAX networks in St. Petersburg, Moscow and Ufa. In mid-2009, test operation of the networks became commercial. Next year Yota begins to launch LTE networks. In July 2012, the above companies merged. And since 2014, Yota has become a federal cellular operator.

It is safe to say that Iota is MegaFon. It uses its base stations, but in some regions it has its own BS operating in the 4G standard. In some places, the operator uses Rostelecom towers. Having installed the SIM card in the phone, we can notice how the name of the operator changes - the inscription “Yota” or “Rostelekom” lights up on the display. But the inscription “MegaFon” never appears.

Since MegaFon and Yota are one and the same, there is an almost complete coincidence of network coverage areas. There are some differences, but in most cases Yota will work where MegaFon has coverage. In some cases, in some localities SIM cards for smartphones and tablets work, but SIM cards for modems do not work. To clarify these points, please refer to the coverage map on the operator’s website.

Operators “Iota” and “Megafon” - are they the same thing or not?

Despite the merger, MegaFon is not one company. These 2 brands work independently of each other, choosing opposite vectors for business and network development.

Expert opinion

Julia

Employee of the Yota retail outlet.

MegaFon is an operator in the traditional sense, which has established itself in the market as a leading telecommunications company. Yota focuses on providing services with individual packages of minutes, SMS and GB.

An additional difference is the number of available information and entertainment services. MegaFon has a wide selection of subscriptions and other options, while Eta is limited to only a few similar offers.

TP “Turn on! Premium"

Mega tariff for the most talkative people and those who cannot live without mobile Internet. This includes 5,000 minutes within Russia, traffic for an expanded number of social networks and instant messengers (hello to fans of Telegram and Instagram), access to music services, unlimited for three video hosting sites - Rutube, YouTube and Vimeo, as well as 20 GB of regular traffic. The tariff also includes mobile TV with the “Basic” package and three channels for adults, and provides access to four films from the archive. The subscription fee is healthy - 3000 rubles/month.

Please note that on all tariff plans, after the main package of minutes is exhausted, intra-network unlimited is activated (on the “Turn on! Write” tariff, it is valid only for local MegaFon numbers).

What regions are covered?

MegaFon operates in 83 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The best quality of communication is observed in the European part of Russia.

To process 4G signals, Yota uses its towers exclusively in large cities, due to which the coverage area is uneven. The parent company's facilities are used to connect clients to 3G and 2G.

Also read: Yota mobile operator coverage map

Tower location

You can get acquainted with the localization of towers on the official Iota website in the “Coverage Map” section, where you need to select a city to display detailed information.

The diagram will make it clear:

Location of towers.
Supported communication format.
Signal reception level.

Coverage area.

Beeline or Yota

Despite the fact that the yellow-striped operator is one of the oldest in the cellular communications market, Yota is quite confident in competing with this elder. If we compare only the Internet, then Yota initially relied on 4th generation communications, so Beeline found itself lagging behind. Therefore, both companies are characterized by uneven coverage areas in these networks.

More about Yota: YOTA for tablet - Internet tariffs, purchasing a SIM card, connection and setup

However, Beeline wins on the following points:

Attractive prices.
Possibility of connecting wired home Internet and digital television.
Operation of modems in 3G networks.

Iota responds to this with a higher quality connection, no roaming, and excellent speed performance. If we compare the Internet within large cities, Yota certainly wins, offering flexible conditions and consistently high speed. When it comes to the periphery, Beeline takes the lead, having a more extensive network and providing connections to 2nd and 3rd generation networks.

Comparison of basic tariff plans of Yota and MegaFon

Both operators provide customers with tariff packages, each of which includes:

minutes;
gigabytes;
SMS;
additional functions.

Basic offer from Iota for 250 rubles:

250 minutes, but calls within the network are always free;
1 GB.

For MegaFon clients there is a tariff of 300 rubles:

400 minutes;
6 GB;
100 SMS;
unlimited on social networks.

For an additional fee, you can expand the list of services provided. The cost of traffic packages varies among operators. The opportunity to separately purchase unlimited applications for applications is provided only by a young organization.

Some of these programs are not found in other companies, such as the removal of traffic restrictions through Telegram.

Expert opinion

Julia

Employee of the Yota retail outlet.

One of the distinctive features of Yota is the ability to independently customize the tariff down to the exact number of available minutes and SMS, defining individual terms of service. Unlimited access to each social network must be purchased separately from the main package.

MegaFon subscribers can only use ready-made tariffs. You won't be able to add or remove an unnecessary option.

TP “Turn on! Look"

Tariff “Turn on! Look” - this offer is designed for those who love not only communication, but also video content. The subscription fee is 900 rubles/month, it includes 16 GB of general Internet traffic, unlimited on YouTube and unlimited on the above social networks and instant messengers. For chatting with friends, relatives, acquaintances and other people, 1200 minutes are allocated per month. As a bonus - four films from their archive, as well as a package of MegaFon channels and free traffic to MegaFon TV.

The tariff plan works in domestic Russian roaming without changing the tariff.

Mobile application of operators

Both mobile apps offer a wide range of features.

Standard features available to all clients:

refill;
balance tracking;
tariff change.

Yota allows you to instantly view basic statistics and hides program features that are rarely used by subscribers. This makes the application easier to navigate.

MegaFon has a loyalty system where spending on communications affects the number of available points used to pay for services.

Large selection of functions on operator mobile applications.

What does yota offer?

The operator divides tariff plans into three categories depending on what device the subscriber will work from: mobile phone, tablet computer and modem (or router).
There is one tariff available for smartphones, it is very flexible and can be customized to suit your needs. The minimum monthly fee will be 370 rubles per month. This includes: 200 min. in the Russian Federation, two gigabytes of mobile traffic. A more complete package for 5 thousand minutes and thirty gigabytes will cost the subscriber 2850 rubles/month. Additionally, users can connect a variety of options.

For tablets there is full unlimited use.

You can pay for the service for:

One day – 50 rub.
Month – 500 rub.
Year – 4500 rub.

The longer the payment period the subscriber chooses, the cheaper the service will be. Traffic is not charged. But it is worth considering that Iota introduces one limitation - you cannot download torrents, otherwise the speed will drop to the minimum level.

The operator also has offers for PCs, these are also unlimited tariffs.

Where are the sales points

In small towns it is not always possible to find a sales point for Yota SIM cards. But now the company is aimed at correcting the situation and distributing communication services throughout the European part of Russia.

MegaFon branches can be found in any city in the country along with MTS, Beeline and Tele2. This affects the availability of SIM cards from operators, which is why Eta is not as widespread as a mobile operator.

Points of sale in Moscow and the region.

Reviews

Yota mobile operator has very different reviews from experts and users. They can be roughly classified into three categories. The first characterize the quality of communication services. The second is the company’s pricing policy. Third are the market prospects of the new operator. Regarding the first type of reviews, we can say that in general they are positive. And this is not surprising, since Yota largely uses Megafon’s infrastructure, which is probably not inferior in technology to that used by other operators. Regarding prices, the opinions of users and experts are different.

Technical support for Yota and MegaFon

Customers of Iota and MegaFon can ask for help through social networks or by phone. The quality of support provided varies.

Expert opinion

Julia

Employee of the Yota retail outlet.

Previously, Yota employed specialists without sufficient qualifications who could not solve problems that arose, and waiting for a response could take a long time for the client.

But the issue is being resolved, so such situations are becoming less and less common. For the fastest connection with an employee, you need to use online chat in the Eta mobile application.

MegaFon has always been distinguished by responsive technical support, available around the clock. Regardless of the method of contact, an employee will answer your question within a few minutes.

Tech support operators are competent and responsive.

Conclusion

It's time to summarize all of the above. We will try to compile all the advantages and disadvantages of each company and summarize it below. And first, let's talk about the YOTA operator.

Iota

Advantages:

Possibility to customize the tariff for yourself.
Simple and convenient connection. You can purchase a SIM card both online and in stores.
The proprietary application allows you to open a chat with technical support.

Flaws:

Interruptions in Internet connection (only on the periphery);
Compared to the Megafon operator, it is difficult to reach the hotline by phone. Although it is worth noting that this drawback is offset by the ability to open a chat with an operator in the mobile application.

These were the results regarding the Yota operator, now let's move on to Megafon.

Megaphone

Advantages:

Stable Internet;
Excellent level of service in branded salons;
Multifunctional application;
Availability of bonus points;
Prompt technical support.

Flaws:

Expensive tariffs;
Inability to select the necessary applications for unlimited access.

Advantages and disadvantages of operators

Advantages of Yota:

high internet speed when uploading;
low price;
the ability to deliver a SIM card to your home or office;
list of available unlimited applications;
individual tariff plans customized by the client.

Disadvantages of Eta:

slowness of technical support;
You cannot enter the operator’s program via Wi-Fi.

Advantages of MegaFon:

wide range of additional functions;
fast technical support;
wide coverage area;
presence of a bonus system;
number of sales points.

Disadvantages of MegaFon:

imposition of services;
high price;
The online chat with the consultant is closed until the issue is resolved.

The main advantage of Yota over the parent company is the ability to customize the tariff for yourself. This function directly affects the cost of services, because the client can refuse unnecessary SMS or calls, eliminating the need to pay for unused traffic.

Author of the article

Employee of the Yota retail outlet.

Comparison results

Examining the Internet connection provided by Yota, there is a speed limit:

at 64 kBit/s when smartphones operate in modem mode;
When downloading torrents, the speed drops to 32 kBit/s.

When it is not possible to use Wi-Fi, the issue of ensuring high speeds can be fundamental. Low speed even when connecting a SIM card via iPhone leaves users dissatisfied with the quality of the Internet, expecting the limit to be increased at least twice. Everyone is inclined to make their own choice, taking into account individual needs. Regarding 4G connections, the majority of Moscow users report approximately the same quality of mobile Internet among all major players, including the new telecom operator Yota.

Mobile operators MegaFon and Yota

It is safe to say that Iota is MegaFon. It uses its base stations, but in some regions it has its own BS operating in the 4G standard. In some places, the operator uses Rostelecom towers. Having installed the SIM card in the phone, we can notice how the name of the operator changes - the inscription “Yota” or “Rostelekom” lights up on the display. But the inscription “MegaFon” never appears.

Marketing

Actually, we can talk separately about the reviews that characterize the market prospects of the new cellular service provider. There is an opinion that Yota, in particular, is not entirely effective in terms of using sales channels. As we have already said, SIM cards are distributed through ordering through the website and delivery by courier or using pick-up points. This is not the most optimal path that the Yota mobile operator has chosen; reviews from employees of some analytical agencies are in this tone. The fact is that in order to gain a significant market share, a company needs to win a target group of customers of 10 million people; for this, larger distribution channels are needed, such as, for example, networks of retail brands.

Advantages and disadvantages of Yota

Let's consider the advantages:

Wide coverage - Yota is represented in most Russian regions, providing residents with voice communications and Internet access.
Real unlimited - provided for tablets, modems and wireless routers. The maximum speed is limited to 20 Mbit/s, and the speed can also be reduced if there is a heavy load on the network.
Adjustable tariff plans - we choose packages of minutes and traffic independently. On tariffs for routers and modems, you can select the access speed.
Many branded modems and routers - from pocket to stationary.

There are also disadvantages:

A large number of complaints about Internet speed are typical not only for Iota, but also for any other operator. Low signal level and BS congestion lead to a decrease in speed;
Lack of unlimited access for smartphones - it was canceled several years ago. Thousands of Russian subscribers cannot forgive this. For those who purchased SIM cards before the cancellation of unlimited, it was retained.
Iota modems do not work where there are no 4G networks - a serious drawback.

Next, we'll go over the main differences and discuss the tariff plans of the two operators.

TP “Turn on! Communicate"

Tariff “Turn on! Communicate” is a balanced offer for medium-active subscribers. For only 600 rubles/month. we receive 500 minutes of calls to any phone in the country, both mobile and landline (including local ones), 12 GB of Internet traffic (for any needs), free traffic to mobile TV with the MegaFon package channel , as well as two films from the video archive.

There is also an interesting addition to the tariff - unlimited traffic for social networks and instant messengers. It applies to the extremely popular Odnoklassniki and VK, to foreign Facebook, as well as to the messengers Viber, WhatsApp and eMotion. A great advantage of the tariff plan is its wide coverage area - all of Russia.

Brief overview of tariffs

MegaFon is a classic cellular operator. Many tariffs, dozens of additional services and options for the Internet, convenient payment, roaming and much more. Yota is a more ascetic operator - there are no unnecessary services here. In this regard, there are no problems with excess write-offs. The difference in tariff plans and prices is large; MegaFon is aimed at providing comprehensive services, while Yota is valued more for the Internet.

MegaFon tariffs

While studying the differences between the two operators, you should go through the current tariff plans. MegaFon's newest tariff line is “Turn On!” According to the operator, more than 10 million people use it. It includes seven tariffs - for talkative and economical subscribers, for music lovers and active users.

Let's go through the contents of the tariffs:

“Turn on! Communicate" - includes 600 minutes across the country and 15 GB of traffic. Additionally - unlimited messaging and social networks, free traffic for MegaFon.TV with a package of channels. Monthly fee - 600 rubles/month.
“Turn on! Watch" - for film and TV lovers. Includes 750 minutes within the Russian Federation and 20 GB of traffic. There is also unlimited traffic for instant messengers, social networks and video hosting, as well as for mobile TV. Monthly fee - 750 rubles/month.
“Turn on! Listen" - for those who like to listen to music. Included are 300 local minutes, 15 GB of traffic, unlimited access to music services and instant messengers. Monthly fee - 500 rub/month.
“Turn on! Speak” - aimed at an actively speaking audience. Subscribers are provided with 700 minutes throughout the country, only 4 GB of traffic and unlimited messaging. Monthly fee - 500 rub/month.
“Turn on! Watch+" - even more videos for movie lovers. Includes MegaFon TV and Amediateka with TV series, 1500 minutes in the Russian Federation, 30 GB of total traffic, unlimited access to social networks, instant messengers and video hosting. Monthly fee - 1000 rubles/month.
“Turn on! Write" - a tariff from MegaFon for fans of communication in text format. Includes 300 local SMS and 300 local minutes, 3 GB of traffic and unlimited messaging. Monthly fee - 400 rubles/month.
“Turn on! Premium" - for the most demanding and active audience. Filling - 5000 minutes within the Russian Federation, 30 GB of traffic, unlimited SMS (I wonder why), unlimited for music, social networks, video and instant messengers, 100+ TV channels and the Amediateka package. Monthly fee - 3000 rubles/month.

Also in the range of tariffs there are options with per-minute and per-second billing, special offers for visitors - this is the “Warm Welcome” line.

For tablets, options are provided with traffic volumes from 5 to 20 GB per month with a selection of unlimited data. For modems and routers, packages ranging from 12 to 30 GB per month are offered (including nightly unlimited).

Yota tariffs

Yota offers only one tariff plan for smartphones, but it is highly customizable. Voice calls throughout Russia - from 0 to 2000 minutes, subscription fee - from 50 to 400 rubles. in 30 days. Traffic - from 1 to 30 GB, subscription fee from 130 to 350 rubles. in 30 days. Additionally, unlimited services are included - social networks for 20 rubles/piece, instant messengers for 10 rubles/piece and YouTube for 75 rubles. Unlimited SMS throughout the country will cost only 50 rubles. It is possible to connect additional minutes and Internet traffic using USSD commands or through a mobile application.

All included services are valid throughout Russia without any roaming. If you stay outside your home region for more than 30 days, a special roaming tariff is included.

A separate tariff and a separate SIM card are provided for tablet PCs - it will not work in other devices. The Internet is unlimited, throughout the country. Subscribers can choose one of three payment periods - a day for 50 rubles, a month for 450 rubles and a year for 3,300 rubles.

With modems and routers everything is much more interesting. For them, Yota offers unlimited access at any time of the day or night. The minimum speed is 64 kbps and is free, but requires daily reconnection. The next threshold is 320 kbit/sec for 400 rubles. The maximum possible speed will cost 1000 rubles/30 days. There are 14 speed thresholds in total.

To save money, you can pay for a year in advance with a choice of speed:

Up to 5 Mbit/sec - 5400 rubles.
Up to 10 Mbit/sec - 6900 rubles.
Maximum - 9000 rubles.

It is possible to use Yota as a backup channel - 2 hours will cost 50 rubles, 24 hours - 150 rubles.

Network coverage

Since companies use an interconnected network of telecommunications towers, there is no point in comparing the quality of coverage. Technically, Yota has its own stations that were opened before the merger. But they do not give the operator any actual advantage. Their coverage area in most cases overlaps with the MegaFon network.

Mobile Internet

The situation with the quality and speed of mobile Internet is similar. MegaFon has a powerful technical base that provides subscribers with a stable wireless connection and a wide 4G network. Yota, working as a virtual operator, operates in the same territory - after all, the companies have a common network. True, if we compare coverage maps, Iota covers the territory of Moscow and the Moscow region a little more densely. In other regions, the differences are minimal and, as a rule, play in favor of the green-purple brand.

When comparing tariff options for accessing the Internet, it is worth noting first of all that Yota does not have them as such. In general, the company is almost entirely based on constructor tariffs. And if you only need mobile Internet, then you should select 0 minutes in the designer settings. The monthly subscription fee in this case will depend on the traffic package:

Megaphone	Yota
S – 5 GB for 400 ₽	2 GB for 250 ₽
M – 12 GB for 550 ₽	6 GB for 280 ₽
L – 20 GB for 900 ₽	12 GB for 330 ₽
XL – 30 GB + nightly unlimited for 1300 ₽	30 GB for 380 ₽
50 GB for 420 ₽

Due to its focus on an active young audience that often uses several social networks and instant messengers, Yota offers unlimited traffic to each service at a fixed price (per month):

WhatsApp, Skype or Viber – 15 ₽
VKontakte – 20 ₽
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Odnoklassniki – 25 ₽
Google Play Music, Yandex.Music, Apple Music, Zvooq, SoundCloud – 40 ₽ for everything
YouTube – 60 ₽
SMS without restrictions – 50 ₽

Whose towers are used by the cellular operator Yota

The Yota operator is a young, constantly developing company, whose work is aimed at expanding its coverage area and improving its own Internet services, digital television and telephony. The use of LTE technology was a breakthrough for the operator, because before that it worked on the basis of WiMax. Megafon and Yota are two well-known operators who, according to representatives, work closely together. Let's figure out how the Yota operator works, what towers it uses and what connects it with the Megafon company.

Yota cooperation with Megafon

The cooperation of these companies began in 2012, when Megafon bought shares of Scartel, which at that time owned the Yota brand.
Up to this point, the young mobile operator has been developing and growing, replacing old technologies with new ones and increasing its own coverage. The merger with a larger player made it possible to significantly improve the quality of the services provided, and also, no matter how paradoxical it may sound, to gain its own individuality. Megafon itself positions itself as a traditional mobile operator. It, unlike its subsidiary, has service and entertainment services. Its subscribers can make money transfers, geopositioning, change the dial tone, and the like. It is worth noting the fact that Megafon has many more tariff plans.

A little history and subtleties

Many citizens who use Megafon and Yota believe that this is the same company. In fact, this statement is both true and false. The Yota company was founded in 2007, but only gained fame in 2014 after it retrained as a virtual mobile operator. Megafon and Yota entered into an agreement on the official merger of assets and began working together.

In fact, the Yota company acts as a subsidiary of Megafon, but at the same time the operator retains its uniqueness and specific direction as a virtual service provider. Iota operates from its own towers, which originally belonged to it, and also uses towers from the parent company Megafon.

It is worth noting that the coverage areas of the two operators are almost identical - the exceptions are the cities in which Megafon has installed modern LTE Band 20 networks. As a result, it turns out that Megafon and Iota are practically one organization, but working in two different directions.

Yota taught me to love a megaphone in 5 days!

All Big Four operators are trying to make money from their subscribers: by increasing tariffs, connecting services, etc. But the subscriber can also save a lot.

It's no secret that when you try to switch to another mobile operator, your operator will probably try to keep you.

I have numbers from Big Four operators that have been continuously active for at least a year. And I’ve had a number from Megafon since 2003.

Therefore, I decided to check the loyalty of these operators in the city of Novosibirsk.

Let's go write an application to switch to another operator.

Bilan.

At the salon I was offered to subscribe to the ALLMOYE 2 or Unlim tariff and for switching from another operator they offered a monthly subscription fee of 1 ruble per day. As I later found out, this promotion is for all new subscribers, and not just for defectors. Second and third month with discount.

They ask to deposit 300 rubles into the account immediately, but they began to write off the AP from the 8th day.

Tele 2

The only bonus they offered me was that the transition was free (like everyone else). They issue you a SIM with a temporary number, and the subscription fee is charged from the first day.

They ask you to pay the full amount for the chosen rate.

Megaphone

Turned out to be the most loyal!

When writing an application, they give you a SIM without a number and not activated. They do not ask you to pay any money on the spot. After 8 days you need to insert a SIM, pay for the selected tariff and that’s it.

But be careful. Some dealers in salons say that this is not possible. Only with a temporary number. Then say goodbye and go to another salon.

They offer to pay the first month in two installments: half immediately, the second half after 15 days. Next month there will be a full write-off according to the tariff on the first billing day.

This is beneficial for those who come to the city/country for less than a month! That is, you pay for half a month and then leave.

MTS

I have a biased attitude towards them, since they openly tried to scam me out of money several times.

And now they have disappointed me...

For the sake of a more complete experiment, I still wrote an application for transfer through the MTS website.

Some guy called back from the number 78002500505 and asked me to dictate ALL my passport details to verify. I drew the operator’s attention to the fact that dictating PD over the phone to an unknown person is similar to fraud, given that I will still sign the service contract in the salon (I chose pick-up). Despite refusing to dictate the PD, he confirmed my order.

I also asked a direct question: when and how much should I pay, to which he replied: “100 rubles for the transfer and 200 rubles to the account. You can top up immediately when you receive a SIM or after the number is transferred (there is a recording of the conversation, if anyone is interested).

Arriving at the salon, the girl began to demand to pay 300 rubles at once. Even after turning on the conversation with the operator and showing her the SMS, she said, write a complaint against the operator. I didn’t make a fuss and decided to ask the operator on the site.

That is, everyone is connected to Tariffishche by paying 300 rubles. And if you don’t need this tariff, then even more...

More about Yota: Yota “cuts” customers: restrictions for everyone - Reception on

Because of this attitude, I decided to refuse to join them. They fulfilled this request immediately...

The transfer is canceled easily and without force.

Using the same scheme, I received a discount for my mother-in-law from Tomsk (175 rubles), but the tariffs there are different. The same “My Online” includes only 300 minutes. But after haggling with the operator, he connected another 400 minutes

Well, unlimited internet itself

Megaphone

I consider this operator to be the most loyal, despite the fact that among their employees there are complete ****s. Or maybe I just got lucky with these ones more often...

The girl who called offered a 50% discount

The discount is not limited in time, but when switching to another tariff, it is disabled.

By the way, in some regions of our country there is a “Blow on Prices” line in which “Turn on! Communicate” costs 290 rubles.

And in the Kurgan region you can get unlimited Internet for 130 rubles!

But the Internet does not work in modems at all. There isn't even a paid option. But the modified HiLink saves the day.

By the way, you can also use Megafon’s number from a computer through the eMotion/Multifon service.

Beeline

The operator offered me a 70% discount on the “EVERYTHING!” line tariff. for one year. But without unlimited internet.

I asked for a discount on my old tariff “#possible_4G”. The discount on the old tariff was only 60% with a limitation for a year.

The operator also informed me that I could ask to apply such discounts to the numbers of my relatives. To do this, he sent me an SMS with an e-mail asking me to provide the numbers and names of the relatives for whom I wish to receive a discount.

In terms of the quality of the Internet in Novosibirsk, it is practically not inferior to Megafon. Distribution on my archive tariff - without restrictions. There are restrictions on the new tariffs.

MTS

Despite my biased attitude, I had one SIM from them with the “Unlimited” tariff from 2021.

The first call from the operator was interrupted after the question “Why are you leaving?”... My phone decided to reboot on this call.

After some time, I received an SMS with a 50% discount for one year.

I tried to call this number, but ended up with an autoinformer that doesn’t know about any discounts... I called 0890 and left a request, saying that I might like to stay, but the system does not allow this.

The next day I received a call from a live operator. I explained that without unlimited internet, a 50% discount for a year would not work for me...

But the operator made an offer that I couldn’t refuse: “What if we give you a 70% discount forever?” That is, you can also bargain with them.

Moreover, the discount is eternal and is returned even if the tariff is changed.

3 GB of traffic is available for distribution. Internet quality sucks. Worse than Tele2. And it’s the same in the center of Novosibirsk or on the outskirts.

Yota

Nobody believed that they would call... And they didn’t call.

Hence the conclusion: Yota doesn’t care about customers.

Even if we compare only public tariffs, Yota loses significantly.

For example, for 280 rubles in Yota we get 100 minutes and 10 GB of Internet, and in Tele2 for the same money we get 500 minutes, 15 GB and unlimited messaging.

Yota belongs to Megafon and I dare to suggest that Megafon is merging Yota. Now the dissatisfied will scatter to other operators, and the “silent ones” will eventually be transferred to Megafon. Still, they are not indignant...

The quality of the Internet shows artificial delays, in which the speed test shows a lot, and images from sites are loaded with a noticeable delay.

The quality of the Internet, of course, depends on a huge number of factors. I evaluated it using Xiaomi Redmi 5 plus (LTE cat.6), Honor p8 lite (LTE cat.4) phones; modems Huawei E3372 (LTE cat.4) and Zyxel LTE3316-M604 (LTE cat.6).

Almost all operators try to retain their regular customers. And it’s reasonable, if it’s clear that a person is constantly bringing money into the company’s budget, then why lose him just because a competitor has more “tasty” conditions.

Therefore, if you don’t like the conditions of your current operator, then you should try your luck and bargain with him for more favorable conditions when switching.

More about Yota: Yota base stations in Moscow and the Moscow region

But keep in mind that they are not trying to keep everyone. Megafon never called my colleague.

Good luck to you!

How are the towers located?

Before buying a SIM card from the Yota operator, you need to view information about which regions are included in the coverage area. In order to view the coverage map, you need to go to the operator’s official website and select the “Coverage Map” section, which is located on the panel located at the very top of the page. In the menu that opens, you need to select the appropriate city and zoom in on the map to get a good look at the available stations.

From the interactive diagram that appears, you can understand the following:

how the towers are located in the selected region;
what communication standard is supported;
signal reception level.

Iota’s main goal is to create an Internet and mobile communications network that can be used in all regions of Russia.

Yota: whose towers the operator uses

The location of the towers depends on a specific region - in large cities, where the development of 4G connections is stronger, the company’s own designs are installed. The coverage area is uneven - in remote regions and small cities it is much worse than in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

The question of which towers Yota uses can be simply answered - the operator provides structures for providing 4G communications at its own facilities, and for weaker coverage, structures from Megafon are used.

Summing up

After several weeks of testing two operators, we came to the following conclusion:

Iota

Pros:

Fine-tuning the tariff;
Convenient connection;
Mobile application with built-in chat.

Minuses:

Interruptions in Internet connection (only on the periphery);
It's quite difficult to reach customer support.

Megaphone

pros

Stable Internet;
Excellent level of service in branded salons;
Multifunctional application;
Availability of bonus points;
Prompt technical support.

Minuses

Expensive tariffs;
Lack of ability to choose the apps you need for unlimited access.

Summarizing all of the above, we can say that we gave our preference to Yota. This is not surprising to read on a fan site about the operator, but judge for yourself. We were able to choose and pay for exactly the services we needed. Unlike Yota, Megafon offered us only 12 gigabytes of traffic, which can be uploaded to Youtube in a couple of weeks, and the absence of Telegram in the list of unlimited offers from Megafon is simply beyond good and evil =)

High-speed Internet from Yota

Today, the Internet speed from the Yota company is maintained at a high level - it reaches a maximum of 20 Mbit/s. Yota, whose towers are closely associated with Megafon, has many good tariffs to which you can transfer your home Internet. Several factors influence a stable connection:

selected tariff;
connecting additional functions;
subscriber location - signal strength depends on the tower located nearby;
from the device used to connect.

A comparison of the two companies showed that the upload speed is equally good, but Iota’s receive speed is 2.7 times higher. It is worth noting that Megafon is a good option as a mobile operator, especially after the introduction of HSPA technology, which modernizes communications and acts as an adapter from 3G to 4G.

Points of sale and technical support

An integral part of any operator is its support service, because sooner or later the subscriber will have questions about some of the features of using the service. But you should start not with the hotline, but with the place where SIM cards are sold. This is logical, because before you start using the services of Yota or Megafon, you need to purchase their package.

In terms of the convenience of obtaining the desired SIM card, Iota was among the leaders, since it can be ordered via the Internet by courier delivery directly to your home or office. It is worth noting here that Yota is precisely positioning itself as the first virtual operator. Megafon, unfortunately, does not provide such a service, so you have to leave the house and get to the nearest point of sale to get a SIM card. This is where another feature becomes clear - there are a lot of Megafon salons and they are easy to find, unlike Yota salons.

The SIM card has been purchased, inserted into the phone, now it’s time to check the operation of the hotline. First, let's look at the speed of service. So, a call to the Megafon operator lasted 4 minutes of waiting, which is quite fast. But to get through to the Yota operator, you had to wait three times longer - 12 minutes. To be fair, it is worth noting that these figures may vary depending on many factors.

If we talk about service, then both companies are at a fairly high level. The operators immediately understood the essence of the question and clearly answered the question, without making you wait long in search of the necessary information.

It is worth highlighting the additional opportunity to contact technical support provided by YOTA. You can easily download their proprietary application to your smartphone and start chatting with the operator. In this case, the answer arrives after about a minute of waiting, which is quite fast. It is also worth noting that it is easier to communicate in a chat, since you can think about your question in advance and ask it clearly. And the operator’s answer will be before your eyes and you can return to it after some time, which is also convenient.

Iota is MegaFon?

Based on the legal understanding of the situation, Megafon Yota is a single organization, but functionally they differ. The services that Megafon offers are more traditional offers and a basic package, while Yota acts as a virtual operator.

The coverage area is the same, but it is very difficult to single out one of the organizations. For comparison, the following can be cited: Megafon is suitable for those users who prefer high-quality mobile communications, and Yota is suitable for connecting to unlimited Internet. Using a modem or router, you can get high-speed access with additional interesting features.

For users who want high-speed Internet on their smartphone, connecting to Megafon tariffs is suitable.

How to choose between two operators: starting tariffs

Before connecting to the service package of one of the presented companies, you need to review the basic tariffs, evaluate their quality, cost and list of functions. Both operators provide tariff packages that include:

a certain number of minutes for conversation;
number of gigabytes set per month;
additional functions.

Let's look at the two simplest tariffs from different organizations. Before comparing packages, all connection settings were reduced to the minimum value:

From Yota, for 250 rubles per month you can get 250 minutes for calls and 1 GB of Internet; free messages and unlimited social networks are not included.
From Megafon for 300 rubles you can get the best package - 400 minutes of talk time, 6 GB of Internet, 100 free SMS messages. Also, some communication applications will be free, that is, they do not consume traffic (Viber, WhatsApp).

When connecting to a certain company, you need to clearly understand what it is for - for mobile communications, home Internet or Internet on a smartphone. Yota is a young company that successfully competes with many old and large companies, but as a mobile operator it is far inferior to Megafon. The best option for connecting to Yota is unlimited home Internet with additional options for increasing speed for a short time or overnight.

Connection

How can I connect to the services offered by the Yota mobile operator? There are two main ways. A SIM card from this communication service provider can be ordered through the company’s website or using the mobile application. The ordered SIM card will be delivered by the courier. You can also pick it up at pick-up points, the address of which will be displayed in the application. If clients have difficulties using the services, the Yota mobile operator will send settings through its support service; they are necessary for the correct operation of SIM cards. In this case, the emphasis is on the interaction of the relevant supplier structure with clients through online channels, for example via chat.