Orange Armenia upgrades Wi-Fi devices in 50 Yerevan buses

Orange Armenia telecom has upgraded Wi-Fi devices in 50 Yerevan passenger buses, increasing free Internet connection speed.

YEREVAN, October 14. / ARKA /. Orange Armenia telecom has upgraded Wi-Fi devices in 50 Yerevan passenger buses, increasing free Internet connection speed. As a result the number of users that can simultaneously connect to it has also grown.

The company said new modems MyBox 3G / Wi-Fi, providing Internet speed up to 21.6 MB/s have been installed in the city bus routes №№5, 20, 41 and 28.

"This project is very important to us because it really demonstrates how new technologies can change the usual routine of people. Taking advantage of mobile Internet we provide, passengers can now have fun while traveling by bus, chat free with friends and get the latest news," Orange Armenia CEO Alexander Yesayan told reporters today.

Cooperation of Orange Armenia and Yerevan Municipality as part of Wi-Fi Everywhere project began in 2011, when first My-Fi modems were installed in several city buses.

"In view of developing technologies and a dramatic increase in the number of users of smartphones and tablets in recent years, Orange Armenia has replaced the old device with MyBox-modems that allow 32 users to simultaneously connect to free Internet, instead of 5 in the past," Yesayan said.

Sargis Manukyan, head of Yerevan Technology Management Center, said foreign tourists appreciate not only Armenian hospitality, warm atmosphere and Armenian cuisine, but also easy access to Wi-Fi connection, something that even many large European cities can not boast of.

Manukyan said thanks to a close cooperation between the Yerevan municipality and telecom providers  a number of Metro stations in Yerevan, public parks, squares and libraries offer now  free Wi-Fi Internet.

In August this year Orange Group signed an agreement with UCOM telecom provider to sell 100% of its mobile subsidiary Orange Armenia. No financial details of the deal were disclosed, although Orange is known to have spent upwards of USD350 million in the venture – including its mobile license.

Orange Armenia launched on 5 November 2009 and today provides a range of 3G/3.5G voice and data services over a network which covers more than 97% of the Armenian population. It had 639,000 customers at the end of June 2015 and employed approximately 500 people.

Orange Group’s financial statements confirm that in 2014 it reported losses totaling AMD4.00 billion (USD8.5 million), on top of a net loss of AMD3.85 billion in 2013. -0-