According to TeleGeography the managing director of Belarusian state owned PTO Beltelecom Sergei Popkov says that by 2014, the number of access points to the telco's wireless Wi-Fi network will increase by 500 to around 1,800, providing affordable, high speed access to people attending the upcoming World Hockey Championship, due to be held in the capital Minsk.
Speaking at a press conference on 4 July, Popkov confirmed the rollout plan which will see Wi-Fi hotspots opened at arenas, hotels, restaurants, and other facilities used during the tournament.
According to TeleGeography's GlobalComms Database, since 2007 the government-owned operator has been offering a Wi-Fi based internet package and by the end of December 2012 had expanded its Wi-Fi hotspot network to a total of 1,300 points of access across 220 regions of the country, including 712 in Minsk alone – serving hotels, universities, cinemas, shopping malls and exhibition centres.