Suvarna Garge (Editor)

MagtiCom

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Industry
  
Telecommunications

Founded
  
12 February 1996

Headquarters
  
Tbilisi, Georgia

MagtiCom wwwmagticomgemobilephoneswpcontentuploadsf

Type
  
Limited Liability Company

Number of locations
  
51 Customer Sales Offices 5 Mobile (Minibus) Offices 44 Outlets in Community Centers

Area served
  
98% of the populated territory of Georgia

Products
  
Mobile Telephone Fixed Line Telephone Mobile Broadband Satellite Television Internet Television Cabel Internet

Owner
  
ITC LLC (USA) & Telcell Wireless LLC (USA)

Founder
  
Dr. George (Gia) Jokhtaberidze

MagtiCom, Ltd (Georgian. მაგთიკომი) was founded on February 12, 1996 by Dr. George (Gia) Jokhtaberidze. On September 22, 1997 the Company made the first commercial call from its mobile network. The services offered by MagtiCom involve as follows: mobile telephony; mobile internet (embracing all the technologies of mobile network development: 2G, 2.5G, 3G, 3.5G, 4G, 4.5G); wireless fixed telephony ("Magti Fix" brand since 2008); cable fixed telephony (VoIP); satellite television ("MagtiSat" brand, since 2012; the first operator in Georgia and the South Caucasus); internet television (IPTV) and cable internet. Since 2016 MagtiCom started to provide IPTV, VoIP and cable internet after merger with Caucasus Online.

Contents

Currently MagtiCom mobile network unites the mobile technologies of all the generations: GSM (2G and 2.5G operating on 900 and 1800 MHz frequency bands), UMTS and HSPA+ (3G and 3.5G operating on 900 and 2100 MHz frequency bands) and LTE (4G and 4.5G operating on 800 and 1800 MHz frequency bands). Also, the Company uses CDMA 450 MHz frequency band to provide a number of services. MagtiCom provides the largest coverage area (with 4,650 base stations) covering the 98% of the populated and controlled territory of Georgia. The Company is the leader of mobile market (with the 42% of market share; September 2016). MagtiCom renders various services to up to 3 million customers by means of 51 customer care and 5 mobile offices. Unprecedented is the contribution of the Company to the development of Georgian economy (1.670.882.416 lari; February 2017). Since 2016 MagtiCom has become an ISP and, as a result, a provider of total range of communications services.

Owners

MagtiCom Ltd was founded on February 12, 1996 by Dr. George (Gia) Jokhtaberidze who owns the 51% of the Company exercising the full control thereover. See Chart 1 to learn about the owners and the ownership share thereof.

Milestones

  • September 22, 1997 – the first commercial call was made from the MagtiCom network;
  • 2001 – the first GPRS call was made as a result of constructing the GPRS network;
  • 2005 – Bali – the youth brand of MagtiCom was launched;
  • 2005 – MagtiCom became the owner of the operational license of CDMA 800 MHz standard;
  • 2006 – as a result of deployment the 3G network, the 3G services such as video call, mobile TV and high-speed internet were launched
  • 2007 – MagtiCom became the winner of the Georgian Government Tender for Creating GGN (Georgian Government Network) – the united communications network for state structures. The Company is still rendering service to different agencies and ministries throughout Georgia.
  • 2008, April – MagtiCom launched Magti Fix – the CDMA-based fix telephony service, which allows the population of Georgia to enjoy the fixed telephone communication in the regions where, because of difficult terrain of Georgia, similar service had been impossible to be provided.
  • 2009 – MagtiCom, on the commission of the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, launched, within the frame of creating the United Educational Network, the project of internatization of all the resource centers and public schools of Georgia. Having completed the layout of the network ahead of time and activated over 2,150 public schools and resource centers therein, MagtiCom has started and proceeds with rendering service to those schools and centers.
  • 2010 – MagtiCom launched Bani – the third mobile brand.
  • 2012, January – MagtiCom launched MagtiSat, the first operator of satellite broadcasting in Georgia and South Caucasus region providing high-quality TV service to any point in the country.
  • 2013 – MagtiCom became the two-time winner of the Consolidated Tender of Cellular Telephone Service for Governmental Structures.
  • 2013, December – MagtiCom offered 3 new movie channels of its own production dubbed in Georgian to the MagtiSat customers: Magti Hit, Magti Kino and Chveni Magti thus having lain, in parallel with satellite operatorship, foundation to the broadcasting.
  • 2015, February 1 – MagtiCom launched the 4G/LTE network covering the 90% of the populated and controlled territory of Georgia.
  • 2016, May 30 – MagtiCom, Ltd. and Caucasus Online LLC signed the purchase contract of operational assets.
  • 2016, May 31 – First in the telecommunications market of Georgia MagtiCom offered the 4.5 LTE-Advanced network.
  • 2016, August 1 – MagtiCom started to provide the cable internet, internet television (IPTV), fixed telephony to the retail market and hosting service, whereupon it officially became the first company in the Georgian market providing full communications service – mobile and fixed telephony, internet and television, as a result of merger with Caucasus Online
  • 2016, November 21 - MagtiCom and Deltacom have signed the Contract of purchasing the 100% share of Deltacom.

    • Mobile Telephony

    MagtiCom made the first commercial call on September 22, 1997. Currently the mobile network of MagtiCom unites the mobile technologies of all the generations:

  • GSM (2G and 2.5G operating 900 and 1800 MHz frequency bands)
  • UMTS and HSPA+ (3G and 3.5G operating 900 and 2100 MHz frequency bands)
  • LTE (4G and 4.5G operating 800 and 1800 MHz frequency bands).

    • The Company is the leader of mobile market (with the 42% of market share; September 2016) and, as of the data of July 2016, renders services to over 1,900,000 customers.

    MagtiCom became the two-time winner of the Consolidated Tender of Cellular Telephone Service for Governmental Structures.

    Internet

    MagtiCom offers 2 types of internet service: mobile internet since 2001 and cable internet for retail market since 2016.

    Mobile Internet

    MagtiCom subscribers started to enjoy the WAP-based internet as far back as 2001, while in 2002 the Company offered the GPRS-based internet soon followed by HSDPA, HSPA and HSPA+ technologies. Since 2015 MagtiCom has been offering 4G LTE internet, while since May 2016 – the same LTE Advanced network. Noteworthy is that MagtiCom is the only operator in Georgia owning the 4.5G, the same LTE Advanced network.

    According to the data of the Georgian National Communications Commission, MagtiCom enjoys the highest index of internet usage.

    Cable Internet

    Cable internet is provided via the fiber-optic network, currently the most advanced network infrastructure notable for its high speed of data transfer and its top quality.

    Television

    MagtiCom offers two types of television: satellite television MagtiSat since 2012 and IPTV since 2016.

    MagtiSat: the First Satellite Broadcasting Operator from MagtiCom

    MagtiSat, launched in January 2012, is the first operator of paid satellite TV broadcasting in Georgia and the South Caucasus.

    MagtiSat broadcasts from the Astra 5B satellite, and the broadcasting covers the entire territory of Georgia. This is the feature that differs satellite broadcasting from cable television and allows it to reach the remotest, the most hard-to-access places of the country. MagtiSat allows each and every citizen of Georgia to watch the most popular, high-rating TV programs on the screens of their TV sets. The broadcasting is carried out with the observing of the top technical standards.

    MagtiSat effects broadcasting using two formats: the SD and the HD ones.

    IPTV: Internet Television from MagtiCom

    IPTV is a new generation TV standard based on internet protocol (IP) offering such unique functions as the air management, rewinding and pausing. IPTV allows to wind a program back, to stop it and to proceed with watching it from the place where it had been stopped.

    TV Channels of the Company's Own Production

    In December 2012 MagtiSat started to offer 3 movie channels of its own production dubbed in Georgia: Magti Hit, Magti Kino and Chveni Magti. Since 2016 the channels have become available for the customers of Magti IPTV.

    Fixed Telephony

    MagtiCom is presented by two technologies of fixed telephony in the market – the radio and the cable ones.

    Magti Fix

    Magti Fix is a wireless fixed telephone service based on CDMA 450 (operating on 450 MHz frequency band). Magti Fix wireless fixed network is characterized by rather high index of signal propagation making it vital in the countryside especially the regions with no cable infrastructure available.

    Cable Fixed Telephony (VoIP)

    VoIP technology offers cable fixed telephone communication via internet protocol (IP). Unlike traditional telephony, here the voice signal is transferred digitally. MagtiCom started to offer cable fixed telephony to the retail market in 2016.

    MagtiCom Technological Leader

    The development of internet technologies in MagtiCom in chronological order:

  • 2001 – 2G technology: transfer of SMS and small-volume data via WAP technology
  • 2002 – 2.5G technology: MMS and GPRS technology
  • 2006 – 3G technology: UMTS wireless broadband communication for mobile phones
  • 2009 – 3.5G technology – HSDPA, HSPA, HSPA+ higher-speed data transfer
  • 2015 – 4G technology: LTE network
  • 2016 – 4.5G technology or the LTE Advanced network available in Georgia exclusively for MagtiCom customers.

    • Base Stations of 2G, 3G, 4G Mobile and CDMA Networks

    In terms of base stations MagtiCom is a leader on Georgian market. The company ownes 4650 of base stations all over the Georgia.

    Coverage of Mobile and Internet Networks

    As of September 2016, MagtiCom covers the 98% of the inhabited and controlled territory of Georgia

    Customer Care Offices

    MagtiCom offers services both via its customer care offices and its hotline.

    MagtiCom's 51 offices (14 in Tbilisi and 36 in the regions of Georgia) render services during week days, while a number of offices – on the week-ends as well.

    Also, MagtiCom customer care offices are opened at 44 outlets in Community Centers all over the Georgia.

    Apart from the above, 5 mobile offices of MagtiCom are available for the customers.

    Hotline

    MagtiCom offers 24-hour hotline service 7 days a week. Calling 2170000 or 110011 is available from any network. The call is toll-free for MagtiCom customers. The users of cable internet or Magti IPTV can also call 220000.

    Web-chat

    The representatives of Customer Care work on the web-chat in the 24/7 working mode thus providing customers with online help/information.

    Roaming

    MagtiCom offers roaming service. The list of roaming partners of the Company contains over 180 countries and more than 400 operators (September 2016).

    Contribution to the Georgian Economy

    As for February, 2017, the contribution of the Company to the Georgian economy is 1.670.882.416 lari.

    Partnership with EBRD

    On July 14, 2016 European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) issued MagtiCom the credit in the amount of 100 million US dollars to be used for the expansion of MagtiCom broadband communication in the regions of Georgia.

    We do it for Georgia

    “We do it for Georgia" is the aegis under which MagtiCom has implemented hundreds of projects in various aspects including the ones to support Georgian culture, sport, health, arts and education. MagtiCom, being a company with corporative social responsibility, carries out a great number of social projects. Among national projects noteworthy is the publication of books/albums of the works by Georgian cultural figures. The books/albums are distributed free of charge on the presentation day. The works – books, sets of volumes and albums – by dozens of writers, poets, artists, sculptors or architects are kept at MagtiCom archive.

    "Constant" the Magazine

    “Constant", the quarterly magazine from MagtiCom, started to be issued in 1999. The magazine offers MagtiCom news as well as the world examples of technological progress and other interesting information.

    The full e-version of "Constant" is available on the MagtiCom web-site. The circulation of the printed version makes 50,000 copies. The magazine is free-of-charge.

    “Constant" is distributed both in Tbilisi and the regions of Georgia.

    Mymagti.com

    Since 2014 MagtiCom has been offering the application mymagti.com serving as a mobile office in the users' smartphones. Any of MagtiCom customers is able to use the application to recharge his or other person's balance and refresh various airtime, internet or SMS packages. mymagty.com allows the customers to exercise control over all of the MagtiCom services.

    MagtiFun

    MagtiFun.ge allows a customer registered under MagtiCom phone number to send 50 free-of-charge SMS daily. A user of the site can store his contact numbers and effect synchronization with his Facebook.

    Magti Club

    Magti Club is a cultural center frequently hosting art evenings, exhibitions and jubilee meetings.

    Marketing Events and Places

    References

    MagtiCom Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA