MINSK, 18 July (BelTA) – Free Internet access via Wi-Fi technology was made available at railway stations upon the order of Belarusian Railways one year ago. Over 220,000 passengers have been given free Internet access since then, BelTA has learned.
Courtesy of the Belarusian mobile carrier MTS, free Wi-Fi access is available to residents of the country and tourists alike at Belarusian Railways stations. Over 120,000 terabytes of traffic has been consumed over the year. Over 500,000 connections to the public Wi-Fi hotspots at Belarusian railway stations have been registered. Users spent 48 minutes browsing the Web on the average. The top five places with free Wi-Fi access include Minsk, Brest, Gomel, Orsha, and Zhlobin.
Free Wi-Fi access to the Internet is available in 19 cities: Minsk, Orsha, Molodechno, Borisov, Baranovichi, Lida, Grodno, Luninets, Brest, Pinsk, Gomel, Zhlobin, Kalinkovichi, Mogilev, Osipovichi, Bobruisk, Krichev, Vitebsk, and Polotsk.
The hotspots have been deployed in waiting rooms and halls. Now as they wait for their trains, passengers can communicate in social networks and instant messengers, watch videos, and read news in comfort.
In order to get access to the public Wi-Fi hotspots at Belarusian railway stations, it is necessary to enter the mobile phone number in a special registration field. A text message with the password to access the web will be sent in return. Authorization is valid for 24 hours.
The Belarusian mobile carrier MTS intends to improve coverage along the main railway lines. The project will be implemented ahead of the 2nd European Games Minsk 2019. Communication will be improved along more than 1,300km of key railway lines. MTS specialists will build over 100 new cell towers along railway lines and motorways before the games begin. The effort will secure quality 3G communication and uninterrupted coverage along the entire route. The throughput capacity of the network at international border checkpoints will be improved by deploying new base stations.
