Report: MegaFon, Yota delist Telegram from limitless access option

MOSCOW, Apr 26 (PRIME) -- MegaFon, one of Russia’s major mobile operators, and its unit Yota have crossed out limitless access to messenger Telegram, which is blocked in the country, in its tariffs, business daily Vedomosti reported on Thursday on its Web site.

Scartel, working under the Yota brand, presented new tariffs in late March offering not to pay for voice and Internet traffic, but only for messengers, from 10 rubles per each a month. Yota deleted Telegram from the list of the messengers it offers, since the operator cannot guarantee provision of the service.

After being blocked by authorities, Telegram tries to use IP addresses of Amazon and Google to skirt the closure, but the communications service is muting them as well, which causes issues in the work of third-party resources.

A Scartel spokesperson said 3% of subscribers had limitless Telegram. The company does not disclose its subscriber base, which was estimated by researcher TMT Consulting at some 4 million as of the end of 2017.

MegaFon also crossed out Telegram from limitless access to messengers.

(61.7494 rubles – U.S. $1)

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