In 1993, when the novel is set, mobile communication in Moscow was still in its infancy, available only to a very narrow circle of wealthy people.
Origins
Moscow Cellular Communications (MCC) was founded as a Russian-American joint venture, Moscow Cellular, and became the second cellular operator in Russia after St. Petersburg's Delta Telecom. MCC's network began experimental operation on December 16, 1991, with commercial launch on January 29, 1992.
The company operated on the analog NMT-450 (Nordic Mobile Telephone) standard, one of only two cellular standards officially permitted in Russia, alongside digital GSM-900.
Monopoly and pricing in 1993
By 1993, Moscow Cellular Communications was effectively a monopoly in the Moscow mobile-communications market. The licensing system introduced by communications minister Vladimir Bulgak called for "one player per standard, per region," which ruled out competition.
The cost of service was truly astronomical:
- Connecting to the network in 1994 cost $995
- The monthly subscription fee was $50
- A minute of calling cost $0.60
- The Nokia handset itself cost around $5,000
The technical side
Mobile phones of the era looked nothing like modern devices. They were the size of a small suitcase and weighed several kilograms. As journalist Irina Yasina recalled: "You had to carry it around like a suitcase... the cool kids would take the phone out of the car, walk into a café, and set it down on the table, taking up half the space."
Social context
In 1993, a mobile phone wasn't just a means of communication — it was a status symbol and a mark of belonging to the narrow circle of "New Russians." Owning a "mobilka" signaled exceptional financial standing.
The steep rates gave rise to distinctive social phenomena. The character's remark about spending "a stack of green a week" (that is, $100) on service shows the scale of wealthy Muscovites' spending on mobile communication.
Security problems
The high cost of service, combined with the weak security of the analog NMT-450 standard, gave rise to cellular phreakers — fraudsters who cloned phone numbers and used the network for free. This problem seriously troubled operators through the mid-1990s.
Later history
In 2003, Moscow Cellular Communications joined with other Russian NMT-450 operators to create the unified brand SkyLink, which later transitioned to digital standards. The company ceased to exist as an independent operator on October 1, 2016.