I’ve started to use TELE2 operator in February 2012. The reason was the price. I’ve connected it in Kaluga region and with the nice tariff of 1.5 RUR perm minute which counted by seconds on EVERY destination in Russian federation. While I was for quite a while in this region inside the big city everything looks almost marvelous. Problems started when started to leave outside the city from time to time. Quality of sound drops dramatically or more usually signal disappears completely. Another wonderful story is roaming. Due to the lack of own cell stations it appeared to be extremely expensive – about 10 RUR per minute, and in the majority places in the country outside of big cities you’ll be on roaming.

 

After travelling several months around the country I returned back to the place where I’ve initially obtained this TELE2 sim. It appeared that almost half population of this city connected to this operator and as a result the quality of sound drop simultaneously with signal unavailability.

 

The final this which shot me completely was the procedure of changing tariff. Keep in mind that there is no call center helpline, neither paid premium nor free one. Yes you can register on the web and manage your GSM profile on-line, but one particular thing was not possible for me, I could not change the tariff. So I visited their office and was totally surprised that the tariff I got is some kind “special” and I cannot change it. The “solution” was suggested: to get a new sim and chose necessary tarrif, and… you cannot save the current number and transfer it (I can’t believe it! Inside one network).

 

So if you are in Russia, in large city and you plan to stay there for a long time and to make frequent call around all Russia, this operator is for you, in all other cases run away from TELE2, there is always an option from the main three operator MTS, BEELINE, MEGAFON.