MegaFon

On October 2, 2007, MegaFon launched for operation the first Russian fragment of the third generation network in IMT-2000/UMTS (3G) at the territory of Saint Petersburg and Leningrad region. For the first time ever in this country the radio access sub-system UTRAN (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) was launched for trial commercial operation and included 30 base stations. And already on October 24, 2007, MegaFon announced about start of 3G service in Saint Petersburg and Leningrad region. For the first time in Russia, the following services became available for mass users: Internet access at the data transmission speed that is ten times higher than in the existing GSM networks (2G and 2,5G) of GPRS/EDGE technology, high-quality Mobile TV, video communication.

December 2008 – the extraordinary General Shareholders Meeting of MegaFon took a resolution on reorganization of MegaFon OJSC in the form of its merger with Sonic Duo CJSC (Moscow), Ural GSM CJSC (Yekaterinburg), Mobicom-Kavkaz CJSC (Krasnodar), Mobicom-Center CJSC, Mobicom-Novosibirsk CJSC, Mobicom-Khabarovsk CJSC, MCS-Povolzhie OJSC. The number of subscribers exceeded 43.2 million.

On March 16, 2009, MegaFon founded a virtual mobile network operator "PROSTO" (literally translated as "just" or "simply") on the basis of the Stolichny Branch.

On July 1, 2009, reorganization was completed, and now mobile communication services in Russia are provided by the North-West, Stolichny, Kavkaz, Center, Volga, Ural, Siberia and Far East branches of MegaFon OJSC.

On September 25, 2009, it was announced about rebranding of TT mobile CJSC, subsidiary of MegaFon that provided telecom services under the brand of MLT – "Mobile Lines of Tajikistan". The new company's name is MegaFon-Tajikistan.

Since March 1, 2010, Ostelecom CJSC started to provide telecom services in the Tskhinvali region (occupied territory of Georgia) under MegaFon brand.

In June 2010, MegaFon acquired 100% shares of Synterra company, which was a move to strengthen network infrastructure and enhance the positions in the markets of long-distance communication, fixed and mobile broadband access to the Internet, as well as convergence services.

Three months later, the extraordinary General Shareholders Meeting of MegaFon unanimously approved acquisition of 100% shares of PeterStar CJSC from Synterra.

Based on the results of Q3 2010 MegaFon became the second-ranked operator in mobile revenue.

Based on Q3 2010 results MegaFon became the leader in the revenue share from value-added services (VAS) among the Big Three operators.

As a result of 2010, MegaFon became the Top 2 operator (after MTS) in number subscribers among the Russian cellular communication providers.

As a result of 2010, MegaFon acquired the Top Second position in terms of revenue among the Russian Big Three operators.

On July 20, 2011, it was announced about rebranding of TT mobile CJSC. MLT brand was renamed to MegaFon-Tajikistan.

In November 2011, MegaFon signed a partnership agreement with Scartel on joint development of the Fourth Generation networks LTE (Long Term Evolution) in Russia. As a result, the company got the opportunity to provide LTE 4G services using Scartel's equipment. In its turn, Scartel will be able to use MegaFon's infrastructure.

In December 2011, the company created MegaLabs, 100% subsidiary, which is the single center of design and launch of value-added services.

In August 2012 MegaFon released its first smartphone called Megafon Mint in Russia with the new Intel Atom (system on chip). In December 2013 the company received a licence for cable television broadcasting.

In January 2014 the company has launched international roaming data networks in the fourth generation. The first countries where service is available are Switzerland and South Korea. The same month MegaFon CEO Ivan Tavrin announced that the company obtained a 12% stake of VK.com, Russia's most popular social networking website, from VK's founder Pavel Durov.

In February 2014 board of directors of MegaFon has approved a deal to buy a 100% voting stake in SMARTS Volgograd, a unit of mobile firm SMARTS which covers the Volga and central regions of the country.

In the same month, MegaFon commercially launched fragment network LTE Advanced (LTE-A) within the Garden Ring in Moscow. Formerly MegaFon network tested LTE-A in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. For this Megafon uses bands in the range 2600 MHz own unique combination of frequency spectrum and network resource of Skartel as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO).

In 2021, the company's revenue amounted to 313 billion rubles.

In March 2022 MegaFon is expelled from the GSMA association.

Speed

According to a study by the service developer Speedtest.net According to Ookla, the results of which were quoted by Kommersant and Forbes in July 2019, Megafon provides customers with the fastest mobile Internet in Russia. The average data transfer rate in the Megafon network, according to the results of the study, turned out to be 1.5 times higher than similar indicators of other operators.

According to measurements conducted by Roskomnadzor from February 6 to May 15, 2020, Megafon in Moscow recorded the lowest percentage of LTE coverage along the route (48.73%) and the minimum average data transfer rate from the subscriber. Similar measurements in St. Petersburg from April 3 to June 5, 2019 also showed Megafon's lowest average data transfer rates among all operators.

In 2021, according to the results of the independent company Ookla, Megafon showed the best quality of mobile Internet in Russia, overtaking other operators in all major parameters. The research was conducted from January to June based on more than 7 million measurements from 1.4 million smartphones.

In 2023, according to the results of an independent Ookla study, Megafon was recognized as the best operator in Russia in terms of network coverage for the second year in a row and for the seventh year in a row in terms of Internet speed.

Sanctions

Against the background of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption of Ukraine took the initiative to impose international sanctions against Megafon. The justification says that Megafon "carries out export activities and provides an influx of foreign currency, as well as a high revenue side of the budget of the Russian Federation, which is responsible for the war in Ukraine.".

On April 12, 2023, Megafon was included in the US sanctions list as associated with Alisher Usmanov, who fell under the blocking sanctions of the United States, the European Union and several other countries after Russia's attack on Ukraine. On July 12, 2023, the company was sanctioned by Switzerland. On July 20, 2023, Megafon was placed on Canada's sanctions list of "organizations associated with the Russian military-industrial complex, including financial and telecommunications companies.". On November 23, 2023, the company was included in the sanctions list of Ukraine.