VimpelCom, Russia’s second-largest mobile operator, has commercially launched its 3G network in four Russian cities this week and has vowed to switch on 3G in as many as 40 cities by year-end. In a company statement, the operator said that 3G had been turned on in Saint Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara and Chelyabinsk, and that the network covered “the central and some of the most densely populated districts in these cities,” with coverage set to be extended during the rest of the year. Diana Samoshkina, VimpelCom’s director for the development of new businesses, said the network was targeted at regions where broadband penetration was low or low-speed. “Our 3G product is targeting not so much mobile subscribers as residential Internet users who will be able to access the Web via our GSM/UMTS USB modems which work both in 3G and 2G networks,” she said. VimpelCom has introduced seven mobile broadband tariffs in conjunction with the network.

All three of Russia’s major mobile operators – MTS, MegaFon and VimpelCom – have pledged to rollout 3G networks this year or next. Last month, market-leader MTS announced it was to extend its 3G HSPA network to 14 cities by the end of 2008. The operator also reportedly intends to deploy services in a further 24 to 27 cities in 2009, and 40 cities by the end of 2010, which will give it coverage in all of Russia’s major cities. Meanwhile, third-placed operator MegaFon has previously stated that it plans to launch 3G services in 16 regions in the country in 2009.