I remember being envious of the Americans when they launched Google Fiber, gigabit Internet for $70 a month. We were happy with even 20 Mbit/s back then.
Now the same thing has appeared on our side of the ocean - at MGTS in Russia. Perhaps already in your home. 4 times less for such fast Internet .
But even in Moscow, gigabit speed seems beyond science fiction. In addition, the traditional distrust of providers has not been canceled.
That's why we didn't take his word for it. We agreed with MGTS and went to their office. We found out whether 1 Gbit/s is a lie or reality.
And then I actually installed it for myself .
Wait, where did a whole gigabit of internet at home come from?
MGTS launched gigabit Internet quite recently - at the end of last year. The company is ready to transfer all Internet users to such speeds, which is almost 95% of households in Moscow.
Now the average home Internet speed in the capital (not the region) is about 50 Mbit/s. Until recently, the “ceiling” for speed was 100-150 Mbit/s.
MGTS was able to go much further because it uses GPON . The name itself stands for “gigabit passive optical network.” GPON allows you to achieve those mind-blowing speeds of 1 Gbps.
Now almost every Moscow resident can try .
All you need is the same 1 Gbit/s tariff for 1,499 rubles. per month.
Is the speed really 1 Gbps? Spoiler: yes!
I came to the MGTS testing center in the southwest of Moscow for an answer to this question. Here, the provider’s engineers test the compatibility of equipment from different manufacturers with GPON networks, as well as the operation of “branded” Wi-Fi routers with gadgets and computers.
Actually, the idea was the following: to make sure that 1 Gbit/s really exists, and is not invented for the sake of some “premium tariff”.
The easiest way to do this is to use a laptop with a gigabit Ethernet port and connect it directly to the MGTS modem.
So we took a simple Dell laptop. We connected via an Ethernet cable to a modem with GPON Internet from MGTS and...
Result: almost gigabit per second for download and upload . Proof screenshot above. You really don’t believe in this, when even in Moscow houses you most often cannot achieve 10 times lower speeds.
Exactly 1 Gbit/s interferes with receiving technical data exchanged between the modem and devices - this is a normal situation.
But there is one interesting detail.
When we agreed, we were warned: take with you the top-end laptop that you have. No question, I took the 15-inch MacBook Pro 2021, an excellent, powerful thing. Certainly better than 99% of Windows coffins. Yes?
No.
Connection
How to connect ?
- You can add traffic in your “Personal Account” or the “My Beeline” mobile application. The required option can be found in the “.
- The command to activate “Extend the speed of 1 GB” on Beeline is *115*21#
- To extend Beeline traffic by 1 GB, you can dial the voice control portal number - 0674093221
Important! If you need a larger package, see the article “Internet traffic extension: all operator options.”
MGTS Internet is so fast that Apple can't keep up
It quickly became clear: the problem is not in processors and gigabits, but in the performance of the laptop. It turns out that the MacBook has historically “weak” Wi-Fi , which can easily be inferior to that of a simple Windows laptop, which, as a rule, is several times cheaper.
Of course, I began to object. According to the specifications, the MacBook Pro should be able to handle 1 Gbps, albeit strained. macOS also says this in its detailed Wi-Fi connection data.
Alas, the results below do not lie. This is the best of 10 speed measurements on a Gigabit wireless Internet free from other devices. Moreover, MGTS engineers predicted it even before the launch.
Why is that? The performance of the Wi-Fi module installed in the MacBook is to blame.
Apple uses a non-optimized 3x3 MIMO configuration. That is, their computers have 3 antennas, each of which works to receive and receive a signal.
Laptops with Apple technically can handle 1 gigabit over Wi-Fi, but in fact this is impossible to achieve. Because the Wi-Fi module is not optimized.
That's why even the highest-end Mac models can't keep speeds above 500 Mbps .
The situation is similar with iPhones, and their maximum speed is even lower: about 400 Mbit/s, no more. It’s interesting that the Samsung Galaxy S9 showed noticeably higher rates – up to 650 Mbit/s upload and 500 Mbit/s download.
But in any case, 1 Gbit/s from MGTS turned out to be real. Just if you're only going to get the most out of one Mac, get a Gigabit Ethernet adapter for it.
Why would anyone need an entire gigabit of internet?
This speed is shown by the iPhone 8 on gigabit Wi-Fi from MGTS.
It can no longer due to the engineering features of the smartphone. A simple and logical question, I understand. Indeed, if you live alone and use only wireless Apple devices, then you can get by with a tariff with a speed of around 500 Mbit/s.
But if you have a wife, children or even relatives at home, the situation changes dramatically. In the evenings, some play games, others stream movies and TV series, others download something from the Internet - and now the typical Moscow Internet has already “bent in.” There is not enough speed for everyone.
1 Gbps speed ensures that, no matter the load, every device and user at home will have plenty of speed for any entertainment.
Finally, this speed allows you to play games on cloud servers with minimal latency and excellent video stream quality. And it’s much easier and more convenient to keep a file “trash bin” somewhere in the “cloud” when the Internet speed is almost equal to the reading speed from the hard drive !
By the way, MGTS modems allow you to “keep” more than 30 active connections simultaneously. Therefore, owners of a couple of dozen wireless gadgets have nothing to fear.
How to activate the “Gigabyte” tariff?
If you use the communication services of another operator, you can buy a new SIM card with this tariff or switch to Beeline with your number.
If you are already a Beeline subscriber, use one of the following methods to connect to the “Gigabyte” tariff :
- Dial the command *110*0512# on your tablet, modem or phone - connection confirmation will come in the form of SMS within a few minutes.
- Call the free service number 0674100512 and follow the voice menu prompts.
You can also change your tariff through the voice menu 0611, in your Personal Account on the official website, in the Beeline application, or by calling the hotline at 8-800-700-0611.
Switching from another tariff will be free provided that the previous change was more than a month ago. If less than a month has passed since the subscriber changed his tariff plan, connecting to a new one will cost 100 rubles.
And if we supply 1 Gbit/s from MGTS to each apartment, will the speed drop?
One of the first questions I asked MGTS.
Hypothetical situation: all residents of an apartment building connect at once and choose the top 1 Gbit/s tariff. Can the router withstand such a load, especially during rush hour - evening time? Everyone's speed will probably drop.
MGTS responds to this this way.
Firstly , the Internet channel and equipment in homes can cope with such a load. The statement is supposedly not unfounded: my scenario was worked out by the company’s engineers before giving the go-ahead to launch the gigabit tariff.
That is, you can really connect the maximum gigabit tariff to each apartment - and not experience a “drawdown” in speed in the evenings.
Secondly , it is difficult to achieve a full, “gigabit” load on each apartment at any time. Everyone uses the Internet differently. Not everyone continuously downloads files at maximum speed according to the tariff.
Even while downloading files, the speed is rarely constant. And during regular surfing or in online games, the frequency of data exchange constantly fluctuates depending on your actions. For example, the site has loaded - the load on the channel has dropped.
Thirdly , the speed of a local Internet connection and the speed of receiving data from remote servers are two completely different things.
You can have a tariff of at least 100 Gbit/s. But if a site, service or file server transfers data at a speed of, for example, 400 Mbps, you will receive no more than 400 Mbps from them.
So, according to an MGTS representative, you can easily connect to a 1 Gbit/s tariff, even if you know that all your neighbors also have it.
Disabling a tariff plan
As mentioned earlier, there is no subscription fee for Gigabyte, which means there is no need to disable it. If you still decide to refuse the tariff, you can change it to another or temporarily block your number.
Prices and specifications are current for Moscow and the Moscow region at the time of publication and are subject to change. Before connecting, we recommend that you check the current conditions on the official website or by contacting Beeline support service.
Where can I get a modem for such fast Internet?
GPON is a rare technology on a global scale, so it is extremely difficult to buy a compatible router in a store. I can say with 95% probability that your current GiPon router does not support .
MGTS understands this, and has been for a long time: the company is a pioneer in the implementation of GPON in Russia. For almost ten years, it has been working to improve interoperable modem technology with major equipment manufacturers (ZTE, Huawei, SERCOMM).
Okay, this is all great, but the result has not changed. You don't have a modem. It's not easy to buy. How does it work with other providers?
Every month you would pay several tens (or hundreds) of rubles above the tariff for “renting” equipment. And only after a couple of years it will be automatically purchased.
An example of an installed MGTS GPON modem in a Moscow apartment (source: Geek-nose)
MGTS does things differently: it provides customers with free Wi-Fi routers - ONT optical modems designed for transmitting data over optical fiber and Wi-Fi, and also provides them with free installation, initial configuration and 24-hour technical support. There are no installment plans.
Do you use the Internet from MGTS? This means you don't have to pay for a modem. Stopped and want to disconnect? The equipment remains with the client in case of reconnection.
By the way, if MGTS gets a newer and better modem than yours (and this happens once every year or two), they will replace your old one with a new one for free. The technician's visit will be free.
Characteristics of the “Extend Internet 1 GB” option
This operator service allows users to resume access to the network and receive an additional package of 1 gigabyte. It can be activated not only together with other options, but also for tariffs of the “ All Inclusive ” line, as well as with the archived tariff “ Megafon Login Optimal ”. The cost of connecting to the service is 210 rubles for the Moscow region. Funds are debited immediately after connection and provision of the package.
The tariff option Extend Internet 1 GB is most suitable for cases when the main Internet package provided by the tariff plan or option has been used up. First, the basic traffic package is consumed, then the additional one. If the mobile Internet is not completely used up, its balance does not disappear and resumes operation after the end of the main package. The option in question is valid in those regions covered by the basic tariff. Therefore, for tariff plans of the “ All Inclusive ” line, the regions of availability are the entire Russian Federation.
After the test, I connected myself to 1 Gbit/s from MGTS. Impressions below
The modem had just been installed at the time of filming, but had not yet been turned on. It turned out neater than expected
I saw these numbers in the speed test and realized: I want it too. A couple of days later, MGTS technicians arrived, carefully drew the line and hung up the modem. There was no need to drill anything - it turned out that an old hole in the wall left over from the cable of the previous provider was enough.
We installed a basic modem (Sercomm RV6699), with built-in antennas. It’s enough to cover my 50-square-meter “one-room apartment” with a signal without loss. Moreover, the reception quality in the far corners of the apartment is better than that of my previously beloved AirPort Express.
You can connect anything to the modem via a USB port, and the four LAN outputs came in handy: I’ve already installed a Philips router there for smart light bulbs at home and a Synology NAS for storing files in a personal “cloud.”
There was no need to configure the modem, except for changing Wi-Fi channels: there are more than 20 different wireless networks around, so I switched the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks to the most free channels (we told you how to find them in this article).
That's it, let's go test it.
Result via Wi-Fi.
First, the results via Wi-Fi . Just like in the MGTS office, my main MacBook at home pulls about 500 Mbit/s in both directions. On the one hand, not a “gig”, yes. But on the other hand, at least another 500 Mbit/s is freely available to all other devices - set-top boxes, three other laptops, a bucket of home smartphones and tablets.
Already at this speed there is nothing to ask from the Internet. Absolutely everything is downloaded instantly, including files weighing up to 100 megabytes (literally a second and a half!). I’m generally silent about all sorts of web pages, they’re just open right away and that’s it.
Game update download speed for Xbox One X via MGTS. It was also 140 Mbit/s.
Videos in 4K and 60 fps are streamed as easily as if I were watching them from the computer’s memory. Downloads on the console of 8-15 gigabytes (hello, game updates) flow in just a couple of minutes instead of the usual 40 minutes or more. Bliss? Otherwise...
But since I connected 1 Gbit/s, I need to achieve it, don’t you agree?
Let's try via Ethernet. Using an adapter to Type-C and a good cable, I connect the MacBook Pro 2021 directly to the MGTS router. And here is the result (proof here):
The result is through the cheapest Ethernet adapter from Satechi for MacBook.
Generally space.
The average download speed per 1 Gbps is approximately 75 megabytes per second. A 1 GB file can be downloaded in 15 seconds ! Sometimes the process is slower if third-party servers simply do not provide a commensurate upload speed. But this is rather rare.
Download 10 gigabytes in two minutes? No problem when you have GPON at home
Will I continue to connect to the modem via cable? More likely no than yes - I don’t like wires too much. But such Internet at home is simply amazing, after it it is impossible to use the typical 50-100 Mbit/s for Russia without tears.
Home Internet with a speed of 1 Gbit/s is a thing that is ahead of its time . The fact that it already exists in Russia and is available to everyone may seem incredible. However, here it is, working. We live in interesting times!
Extension of traffic by 5 GB (month)
For people who frequently use, the company provides the opportunity to order additional 5 GB at any time. You can extend the Internet in the same three ways: through a short command, through the official MegaFon website and by sending an SMS. The command to get additional 5 GB is *370*2*1# call . To renew via SMS, you need to send a message with the text 1 to the number 05009062 .
Did you know? The beginning of the Internet era is considered to be 1969. It was then that a network was created that united 4 American government agencies.
You can extend MegaFon traffic by 5 GB for only 400 rubles. The validity period is limited by the same rules as the period when ordering 1 GB. All details of the service can be found on the telecommunications website.
