On 13th April 2007 specialists of the Kaliningrad Branch of  OJSC N.W.Telecom commissioned  the last of the planned universal service payphones in Kaliningrad Oblast. This is the first region in the North-West, where OJSC N.W.Telecom fulfilled all conditions of the competition for the right of providing universal telephone communication services using payphones, having become the winner of the competition in March 2006. 

All in all 572 payphones have been installed in 559 settlements of Kaliningrad Oblast, including 74 settlements that have had no telephone communication. North-West Telecom has invested 60 million roubles to implement the project.

Payphones have been installed by the traditional method:  laying the cable from the operating automatic telephone exchanges, and, where it has not been technically practicable, using Rital-300M subscriber line radio extenders.

All payphones are installed in convenient public places according to the requirements and rules of providing universal communication services. A distinguishing feature of the universal service payphone is that it can be used not only to give a phone call – a free incoming call can be received to it, too.  Each payphone is given a telephone number, which is stated in the rules of using the set.

Payment for the payphone communication services is effected using a payment card with the nominal value of 100 roubles, which can be bought at clients servicing centers, at post offices or from postmen.   The per-minute rate of a local telephone connection is 34 kopecks. International and long-distance calls are paid for at the rates of telecommunication operators having the respective licenses and permissions for network operation.

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In March 2006 OJSC N.W.Telecom  won the first competition for the right of providing universal telephone communication services using payphones in Arkhangelsk and Kaliningrad Oblasts. According to the terms of the competition, OJSC N.W.Telecom was to install 2874 universal payphones in Arkhangelsk Oblast and 572 payphones in Kaliningrad Oblast. During 2006-2007 North-West Telecom has won competitions for the right of providing universal communication services in fact throughout the North-West of Russia (except for St. Petersburg). On the whole, the terms of the competitions provide for the installation of 14,688 payphones.