Internet and Cable TV in Moscow
High-Speed Internet, 4G and WiMAX in Moscow
The modem and SIM can be bought at any telecom shop, such as Euroset, Svyaznoy, etc – there are plenty of them everywhere in Moscow.
Otherwise, you've also got high-speed internet connection in Moscow provided by local area networks (LAN), ADSL (Broadband), or cable TV. LAN's prices are often OK, but their service is not so good and the connection may sometimes go off. However, when it works, it is the fastest option (speed ~ 8Mb/sec). ADSL (Broadband) is provided by a few companies, such as MTU-Intel, Comstar (tel. +7 (495) 956-0000), Combellga (tel. +7 (495) 931-9950). The latter two offer good packages for businesses, however, if you just want high speed internet in your flat, the Stream (tel.: +7 (495) 105-5545) service is the best choice. They offer flatrate for about €30 / month with no contract, the connection speed is up to 3 Mb / sec, the setup costs wouldn't be more than $100 (including equipment) or free if there's a promotion.
By the way, Yota (see above) also offers routers, which could be used at home, but you need to check the coverage first.
Some cable TV providers offer internet in addition to their TV packages, but their prices and speed is not so good. In any case, you can try to Google Kosmos TV or Divo and see what they have on the offer.
Dial-Up Internet
Wi-Fi (wireless internet) access points - wifi hotspots - in Moscow:
All you need is a special wireless internet adaptor card (already installed on Apple Macbook computers (airport) or PCs with Intel Centrino technology, otherwise available at any computer shop for about $30-$50).
Wireless internet connection is free at most cafes and restaurants in Moscow, but some greedy places charge you about $10 per hour . It can be purchased online on the spot or at the counter (special pre-paid cards).
American Bar & Grill: American-style restaurant chain, average bill: $20 per person.
1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya, #1 (metro Mayakovskaya), Opened 24 hours. And Zemlyanoy Val, #59 (metro Kurskaya, Taganskaya), Opened 12.00-2.00 (until 5.00 on sunday). Provider: Yandex, Price: Free
Santa Fe Restaurants: Mexican cuisine.
Mitulinskaya st., #5/1, bld 6 (metro Ulitsa 1905 Goda). Opened 12.00-24.00, and until 3.00am on thursday, friday, saturday. Provider: Yandex, Price: Free
TGI Friday's: A typical American restaurant famous for its cocktails. Lunchs for $10.
Tverskaya #18/2 (next to Kodak Cinema, metro Pushkinskaya or Tverskaya - center), Leninsky prospekt #1/2, 1 (metro Oktyabrskaya - center), Zemlyanoy Val, #33, Garibaldi, #23 (metro Novye Cheremushki - south Moscow). Opened 12.00 to 24.00 daily. Provider: Yandex, Price: Free
Il Patio Restaurants: a chain of Italian restaurants in Moscow. (#1 - metro Kropotkinskaya, Volkhonka st., #13a - near Christ the Saviour church, #2 - metro Smolenskaya, Smolenskaya street, #3). Provider: Yandex, Price: Free
Starina Myuller Restaurant: Beer restaurant.
Shmitovsky proezd, #2 / 1 (metro Ulitsa 1905 Goda). Provider: Yandex, Price: Free
Grand Imperial Restaurant: Russian cuisine, average bill: $30 per person. metro Kropotkinskaya, Gagarinsky pereulok, 9/5, opened 12.00 till the last visitor. Provider: Yandex, Price: Free
Boarhouse: A popular hang-out for expats. Zemlyanoy Val, 26A (opposite metro Kurskaya). Provider: EWi-Fi.Net, Price: Free
Wireless Internet at Moscow Airports.
TGI Friday's restaurant at Shermetyevo 2 airport (2nd floor, departures hall), Opened 24 hours. Provider: Tascom, Price: $10 / hour
Domodedovo airport (international departures hall, 2nd floor, VIP hall), opened 24 hours. Provider: Tascom, Price: $10 / hour
Wireless Internet at Moscow Hotels.
Mariott Hotels
(the access is purchased at the reservation desk, access available in all Mariott hotels, reception, lobby, rooms). Provider: MoscomWireless Internet at Moscow Cafes.
Coffee Shops Coffemania
(trendy coffee-shops chain). Provider: Moscom Price: $10 / hour, $70 for 300Mb or $110 for 1.5Gb1. Rozhdestvenka street, building 6/9/20
2. Bolshaya Nikitskaya street, building 13/6
3. Kudrinskaya Plozhad', building 46/54.
Starlite Diner (American-style cafes and restaurants). Provider: Moscom Price: $10 / hour, $70 for 300Mb or $110 for 1.5Gb
1. m. Mayakovskaya, Bolshaya Sadovaya, 16;
2. m. Dobryninskaya, Koroviy Val, 9;
Delifrance Cafe: Mayakovskaya Metro, conservatory. Provider: EWi-Fi.Net
Price: from $10 / hour
Shokoladnitsa coffee chain (metro Barrikadnaya, Bolshaya Gruzinskaya st., 2/12, opened 24 hours. Provider: Tascom, Price: $10 / hour
Metropolis (Cafe): Sadovaya Triumfalnaya 4-10. Provider: EWi-Fi.Net Price: from $10 / hour
Scandinavia Restaurant (an upscale and expensive restaurant). Provider: Moscom, Price: $10 / hour, $70 for 300Mb or $110 for 1.5Gb.
Palashevsky per, #7. (metro Tverskaya)
La Gateau (a French restaurant)
Tverskaya St., #27 (metro Tverskaya, Pushkinskaya)
Restaurant SNOBBS, 1rst Obydenskiy pereulok, building 3, 4th floor. (this restaurant is for stuck-up snobbish creatures, so use it only in emergencies or if you are a snob yourself :). Provider: Moscom, Price: $10 / hour, $70 for 300Mb or $110 for 1.5Gb
Bakhus: Malaya Bronnaya St, 20A (metro Mayakovskaya or Pushkinskaya). Provider: EWi-Fi.Net Price: from $10 / hour
Etazh:Tverskaya Street 14 (metro Tverskaya). Provider: EWi-Fi.Net Price: from $10 / hour
Hard Rock Cafe: Stary Arbat 44 (metro Smolenskaya). Provider: EWi-Fi.Net Price: from $10 / hour
Junka - (Chinese restaurant): Tversckoy Bulvar 22, Theatre "MHAT Gorkogo" (metro Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya). Provider: EWi-Fi.Net Price: from $10 / hour
La Cantina: Tverskaya Street 5/6 (metro Okhotny Ryad). Provider: EWi-Fi.Net Price: from $10 / hour
Silvers (Irish Bar): Bolshoy Nikitisky Per. Provider: EWi-Fi.Net
Trivia Taverna: Spiridonovka Per. Provider: EWi-Fi.Net
Smolensky Passage Trading Center (metro Smolenskaya) locations at Pizza Express restaurant, opened mon-fri 8.30-23.00, sat-sun 11.00-23.00. Provider: Tascom, Price: $10 / hour
Restaurant Maner at Berlin House: metro Teatralnaya, Kuznetsky Most, Petrovka st., #5, first floor. Provider: Tascom, Price: $10 / hour
Internet Cafes in Moscow
Here's a list of the internet cafes in Moscow, listed by area. An hour costs from $1.7 up to $2.5.
AREA: TVERSKAYA (Center)
TIME ONLINE INTERNET CAFE - There are 200 computers, it's located right in the city center, next to the Kremlin & Red Square. The internet cafe is opened 24 hours a day. It's possible to copy data to the disks, cdroms, zip drives, print out your things, scan pictures, take a photograph on digital camera, copy from a flash memory card to the web or cd rom. There's a cafe that sells coffee and healthy snacks. English speaking staff.
One hour of internet access costs $2, special overnight rates are available.
Credit cards are accepted.
Address: "Manezh trade center" - Manezhnaya ploshchad. Phone: (095) 363-0060. Internet: http://www.timeonline.ru Area: Tverskaya, metro Okhotny Ryad (red line), just outside the exit in Manezh underground shopping mall, ground floor. Open: 24 hour a day
NETCITY. A very good chain of internet cafes, with good music and moderately priced coffee and desserts. The connection is quite fast as well, and there are LCD monitors. One hour costs $2. The only drawback is that it's not opened 24 hours.
Address: 1st outlet: Kamergersky pereulok (metro Okhotny Ryad, Teatralnaya), 2nd outlet: Paveletskaya square (outside of Paveletskaya metro station, on Garden Ring, next to Paveletsky railway station - where the trains to Domodedovo depart).
IMAGE RU INTERNET CAFE. The second floor of a computer shop, there are 67 computers and a small cafe. People: students and foreigners. An hour - 40 roubles ($1.3).
Address: Novoslobodskaya (Новослободская) #16, Area: Tverskaya, metro Mendeleevskaya (grey), just behind the metro exit. Open: daily 9.00-23.00.
AREA: ZAMOSKVORECHIE (South Center)
The internet access is from $1 to $3 per hour, depending on the time of the day and demand.
Address: #25, Pyatnitskaya ulitsa, Phone: (095) 950-6050, Internet: http://www.cafemax.ru/ Area: Zamoskvorechie, metro Novokuznetskaya (green line). Open: 24 hours a day
AREA: KUZNETSKI MOST (Center)
KUZNETSKI MOST, 12 INTERNET CAFE - 35 computers side by side and a bar, but don't eat there, better buy something in the nearby vegetarian cafe. The decoration is nothing special, but it's nice to look up at the mirror ceiling.
An hour is for 60 roubles ($2). Oh, they also have a scanner there, so you can send the photos you made.
Address: Kuznetskiy most #12, Phone: (095) 924-2140, Area: Kuznetskiy most, metro Kuznetski Most (violet). Open: daily 10.00-0.00.
AREA: KITAI GOROD (south-east center)
THE BRITISH COUNCIL MOSCOW INTERNET ACCESS. This internet cafe is located in British Council library in Moscow. It's like a bite of Europe in Moscow - even the smell seems to be imported. There are always many people in this library, mostly students studying English language and reading The Financial Times.
There are just 4 computers and usualy they are occupied, so you have to wait. You can surf the British part of the internet for free, otherwise you have to pay 30 roubles ($1) for one hour. Printouts for 2 roubles, and recording on a floppy is 20 roubles (they use only their own discs).
Address: Nikoloyamskaya ulitsa #1. The Foreign Literature Library, left wing, first floor, tel. (095) 234-0201. Area: Taganka, metro Taganskaya (Таганская) (brown circle line).
Cable TV Providers in Moscow
Usually there's no long-term contracts and you can pay your bills through a bank.
Below is a list of Moscow cable TV operators and their offers.
Comcor-TV (antenna, not all areas are covered yet)
Internet: http://www.comcor-tv.ru
Telephone: (495) 231-3333
Offers: 17 foreign channels for $13,4 / month, 10 channels for $9.1 / month, additionally internet packages for $33 / month (unlimited 256/128) or $15 / month (200Mb, 64/64) can be purchased. Installation fees vary from $20 to $50. They speak English.
Kosmos-TV (through antenna pointed towards Ostankino TV tower, good coverage)
Internet: http://www.kosmos-tv.ru/
Telephone: (495) 730-0000
Offers: 23 foreign channels for $20 / month, installation fees start at $100. They speak English.
Divo TV (through a standard TV cable, simple installation, cheap equipemtn, but not all areas in Moscow are covered yet)
Internet: http://www.divotv.ru
Telephone: (495) 787-0000
Offers: Installation fees are from $79 to $129, 21 channel package costs $10 / month, 32 channel package costs $18 / month. Film-on-demand feature is $2 one-time fee.
NTV Plus (satellite dish, available in the whole Russia)
Internet:http://www.ntvplus.ru/calculator
Telephone: (495) 755-5545
Offers: 40 channels (including Russian ones) for 19$ / month