Program to eliminate digital inequality in Russia

Internet access (Ministry of Ministry of Digital Development program)

Main article: Internet access (Ministry of Ministry of Digital Development program)

Creation of IT buildings in Russia

Main article: How reindeer herders of the North are connected to Internet services (Creation of IT shelters in Russia)

2024

5 thousand base stations and 122 thousand kilometers of fiber. The results of 10 years of the program to eliminate digital inequality in the Russian Federation have been summed up

Over the decade of the implementation of the project to eliminate digital inequality (UCN), 5 thousand base stations were built in Russia and 122 thousand kilometers of fiber-optic communication lines were laid. This became known in July 2024. The program, implemented by Rostelecom together with Tele2, made it possible to provide high-speed Internet to thousands of settlements throughout the country.

According to "KP," the first stage of the program, which lasted from 2014 to 2021, was aimed at building Wi-Fi access points in settlements with a population of 250 to 500 people. The first access point was commissioned on February 17, 2015 in the village of Mikhailovskoye, Kostroma Region. During the implementation of this stage, Rostelecom annually created thousands of Wi-Fi points throughout the country, which made it possible to connect about 14 thousand villages and villages to high-speed Internet. In total, over 122 thousand kilometers of fiber optic lines were laid, which is equivalent to three equators of the Earth. In addition, high-speed Internet was provided to socially significant facilities, including schools and medical facilities.

Over 10 years of the program to eliminate digital inequality in the Russian Federation, 5 thousand base stations and 122 thousand km of fiber have been built

The second stage of the project to eliminate digital inequality (UCN 2.0) was launched in 2021 and included expanding the list of settlements in which digital technologies were introduced to villages with a population of 100 to 500 people. As part of this stage, base stations (BS) of mobile communication of standards/began to be built, GSMLTE providing high-quality voice communication and fast mobile Internet. The first such station began operation on March 19, 2021 in the village of Rare. Omsk region

As of July 2024, within the framework of the UTSN 2.0 project, 4,841 base stations have already been commissioned and over 17 thousand kilometers of new fiber-optic lines have been built. In 2024, Rostelecom, together with Tele2, began installing Russian-made base stations from Bulat. In cases where laying ground communication lines is impractical, RTCOMM satellite technologies are used to connect the BS. ^[1]

High-speed Internet appeared in another Arctic region of Yakutia

High-speed Internet has appeared in another Arctic region of Yakutia. This was announced by the Press Center of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in Moscow on February 9, 2024. Read more here.

2023

In 2023, "Rostelecom" connected more than 4.7 thousand villages and villages to the Internet

In 2023 voice communication mobile internet , 2,853 small settlements throughout received reliable and high-speed to the country - "" Rostelecom summed up the implementation of the second stage of the project to eliminate digital inequality (UCP 2.0 project). Rostelecom announced this on February 15, 2024. The project is being implemented in accordance with a contract Ministry of Digital Development of Russia with Rostelecom. More. here

Rostelecom launched the first two mobile base stations in Greater Sochi

Rostelecom built and launched two base stations in the villages of Vardan-Verino, Adler District and Semenovka, Khostinsky District, in Sochi. Rostelecom announced this on December 19, 2023. Read more here.

Severstal's subsidiary agreed to allocate 170 million rubles to launch the Internet in villages

Norgold has agreed to allocate 170 million rubles to launch Internet in villages. The corresponding donation agreement "daughter" "" Severstal concluded Innovation Development Fund of the Republic of Sakha with in November 2023. More. here

The Government has increased the budget for connecting small settlements to the Internet

State financing universal communication services increased due to the need to connect small settlements to communications and. to the Internet This was announced on November 16, 2023 by the press service of the deputy. State Duma of the Russian Federation Anton Nemkin

The Russian government intends to continue the program to connect small settlements with a population of 100 to 500 people to the Internet and communications. Among other things, the emphasis is on creating LTE infrastructure in such territories, said the head of the Ministry of Digital Science Maksut Shadayev at a meeting of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications.

For these purposes, in 2024, as part of the amendments to the second reading, an additional 7.6 billion rubles are provided, the total amount of allocated funds will amount to 13.4 billion rubles, - explained Maksut Shadayev.

At the same time, the auditor of the Accounts Chamber Daniil Shilkov notes that with a total amount of funding for universal communication services of 13.4 billion rubles, a deficit of 2.8 billion rubles remains. Providing small areas with cellular communications and the Internet is a priority task for the industry, said Anton Nemkin, a member of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technology and Communications.

Despite the fact that the program to eliminate digital inequality has been operating for several years, we still have a significant bias in the penetration of communication services between densely populated and small territories. The preservation of the problem is explained by the low profitability of the construction of base communication stations in such territories, as a result of which the state becomes the main driver of the connection. The continuing problem is emphasized by both the supervising department and the Cabinet. Let me remind you that not so long ago, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin outlined the elimination of digital inequality as one of the key directions for the development of the Russian communications market. Indeed, in the context of digitalization, communication is not only a means of communication, but also of obtaining public services, study and work, so such a situation in a number of settlements is not permissible, the deputy noted.

to data Rostelecom to the country By, the third stage of the program to eliminate digital inequality is being implemented, Nemkin recalled.

{{quote 'This stage involves the construction of mobile communication base stations, about 3000 base stations should be connected by the end of 2023. As of November 2023, the communications market is undergoing transformations related to with the integration of import-substituted solutions on the one hand and the departure of foreign equipment and software suppliers on the other, therefore, the continuation of the policy on the development of universal communication services in the current conditions is a positive trend, the expert believes.}}

An important aspect in eliminating digital inequality is the inclusion of local authorities and businesses in the resolution of the problem, said Anton Nemkin.

Despite the fact that such solutions incur high costs for the corporate sector, we must stimulate the opening of base stations as part of charitable business projects, and the fulfillment of their social mission. Such initiatives are already demonstrated by a number of operators in various regions of the country. In terms of the regional level of power, the development of such projects at the level of the subject, financed by the region itself, has a significant effect on eliminating the problem. Cooperation here is simply necessary and can bring the country closer to a full resolution of the problem, the parliamentarian concluded.

Rostelecom buys base stations from Chinese Hytes to eliminate digital inequality in Russia

In September 2023, the developer of telecommunications equipment Bulat (51% from Rostelecom) declared the import into Russia of base communication stations issued by the Chinese company Hytes Communications. Read more here.

The northernmost region of the Far East is fully covered by high-speed Internet

The northernmost region of the Far East is completely covered by high-speed Internet. This was announced on September 4, 2023 by the press center of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in Moscow.

A 143 km long fiber-optic communication line was laid in the village of Yuryung-Khaya in the Anbar district of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) from the regional center of Saskylakh. This settlement has become the northernmost point of the Far East with high-speed Internet, and the Anabar region is the first Arctic region fully connected to the fiber-optic network. Read more here.

The Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation removed 400 settlements from the fast Internet program

The Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation removed about 400 settlements from the fast Internet program. The corresponding departmental order "On approval of the list of settlements with a population of one hundred to five hundred people in which access points should be installed, including access points that should be equipped with communication means used to provide mobile radiotelephone services" was published in mid-August 2023.

By this order, the Ministry of Digital Development reduced from 24,756 to 24,352 the number of settlements from 100 to 500 people in which high-speed Internet should be carried out. As explained to the publication D-Russia.ru in the ministry, the list was slightly reduced according to the results of the All-Russian Population Census of 2020 - some of the settlements ceased to be included in the category of "100-500 inhabitants," or data confirmed by regional governments from telecom operators came that the Internet had already been sent to some settlements.

In total, by the end of 2024, it is planned to connect 6553 settlements to the high-speed Internet (cumulative total). By 2030, all villages with a population of 100 to 500 people will be provided with high-speed Internet, the Ministry of Digital Development said.

The choice of settlements to provide digital communication, including access to the Internet, is carried out taking into account the voting results. You can vote online, through the portal, or send a letter to the address of the Ministry of Digital Development. In total, by August 18, 2023, high-speed mobile Internet services are provided in 2929 settlements, the Ministry of Digital Development noted. They also added that, starting in 2022, a decision was made to form a schedule for connecting settlements (from 100 to 500 people) as part of the all-Russian vote on the State Public services portal.

Order "On approval of the list of settlements with a population of one hundred to five hundred people, in which access points must be installed, including access points, which must be equipped with communication means used to provide mobile radiotelephone services"

In remote villages of Ugra, cellular communication becomes faster

July 4, 2023 Department of Information Technologies of Ugra reported that in the villages of Yuilsk and Numto, Beloyarsky district, standard base stations cellular communications () were installed 4G LTE with the organization of the channel using communications satellite technology. Residents and organizations became available at Internet a speed of 6 Mbps. As of July 2023 inhabited , about 350 people live in these remote points. More. here

In Tatarstan, work continues to provide mobile Internet and communications to small settlements

In the Republic of Tatarstan, work continues to eliminate digital inequality. The Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation (Ministry of Digital Media) announced this on May 23, 2023. Read more here.

2022

The second stage of the federal program to eliminate digital inequality has started in Ugra

The second stage of the federal program to eliminate digital inequality has started in Ugra. This was announced by the Department of Information Technologies of Ugra on January 24, 2023. Read more here.

High-speed Internet came to the second Arctic region of Yakutia

In the village of Saskylakh, Anabarsky district of Yakutia, construction of fiber-optical communication lines was completed. This is the second Arctic region of Yakutia, which has switched from a satellite channel to a fiber optic network. The head of the Ministry of Digital Development of Russia Maksut Shadayev and the head of Yakutia Aysen Nikolaev took part in the launch ceremony. This was announced on November 25, 2022 by the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Read more here.

Financing of the program increased by 8 billion rubles

On November 22, 2022, the State Duma adopted a draft budget for 2023-2025. According to RBC, the government and deputies proposed to redistribute more than 800 billion rubles in 2023, and for only three years they revised the costs by 2 trillion rubles. One of the changes concerns the Digital Inequality Elimination (DCP) program.

Its financing has been increased by 8 billion rubles, which will ensure the connection of 1800 small settlements to the Internet. Almost the same amount of funds was redistributed to support certain categories of citizens through a social contract.

On October 20, 2022, the head of the information policy committee, Alexander Khinshtein, said that the issue of fully financing the second stage of the project to eliminate digital inequality (UTSN 2.0) will be worked out by the second reading of the draft federal budget for 2023 and the planning period 2024-2025. As the parliamentarian noted, in 2021, 14.7 trillion rubles were allocated for the financial support of the project, and in the draft budget for 2023 these expenses were significantly reduced - up to 6.7 trillion rubles. At the same time, according to him, 15 trillion rubles are required to implement the program in full.

{{quote 'By 2024, 98% of households in Russia should be provided with a stable Internet reception. Our committee considers this task very important and monitors its implementation, "Hinstein pointed out in October 2022. }} Financing for the development of communication infrastructure in Russia comes from the Universal Communications Service (UUS) fund, where all telecom operators of the country transfer 1.2% of revenue.

The implementation of the project to eliminate digital inequality (CPT) can reduce the volume in 2022. The president Rostelecom"" Mikhail Oseevsky spoke about this in May 2022. According to him, the project, which provides access to communication services and the Internet in remote and small settlements, can be halved due to problems with the supply of equipment.^[2]

"Rostelecom" announced the commissioning of another 13 base stations in the Smolensk region

On September 30, 2022, the Press Service State Dumas RUSSIAN FEDERATION Anton Nemkin of the deputy announced that during the implementation of the second stage of the federal project elimination of digital inequality (UTSN 2.0), PJSC "" Rostelecom announced the commissioning of another 13 base stations in, Smolensk region three of which have already begun full-fledged work. Each tower transmits data over the radio channel at a speed of up to 50 Mbps within a radius of one kilometer. The targeted plan of the program for constructions 2022 was formed on the Ministry of Digital Development of Russia basis votes of residents of the region, held in the second half of 2021 on. Public Services Portal More. here

In the Chelyabinsk region allocated 8 million rubles for the development of communication networks in small settlements

In the Chelyabinsk region, an additional 8 million rubles were allocated from the regional budget for the development of communication networks in small settlements. This was announced on September 9, 2022 by the Ministry of Digital Development of the Chelyabinsk region.

According to the ministry, the allocated funds will compensate operators for the costs of creating communication facilities in at least four small settlements in the region. Acceptance of applications from operators will begin in the fall of 2022

The Governor of the Chelyabinsk Region Alexei Teksler agreed on the allocation in 2022 of additional funds from the regional budget in the amount of 8 million rubles to reimburse operators up to 90% of the costs of developing communication networks in small settlements.

The selection of applications from operators for a subsidy starts on October 20 and will be carried out until November 21 inclusive. You can receive compensation for the creation of communication facilities commissioned no earlier than 2021.

The first stage of accepting applications from operators for reimbursement of costs took place in the spring of 2022. The winners of the selection were compensated for 90 percent of the costs of creating communication infrastructure in 23 small settlements, where more than 3.7 thousand residents live in total. By the end of the year, thanks to the support of the Governor, at least four more small settlements will be provided with communication. In total, during the period of the regional program since 2018 cellular communication Internet , more than a hundred small settlements with a total number of over 45 thousand people have been provided with high-quality and access to the network, - said the Minister of information technology Communications and Digital Development of the Chelyabinsk Region. Igor Fetisov

The Ministry of Digital Development of the Chelyabinsk Region notes that operators independently make decisions on the creation of communication networks in a particular settlement from the approved list and subsequent participation in the selection for a subsidy.

More than 4,000 residents of villages and villages of the Chelyabinsk region will be provided with high-quality communication until the end of 2022

National provider "" Rostelecom until the end of 2022 will provide mobile Internet voice communication and more than 4,000 residents of small inhabited points. This was Chelyabinsk region announced on September 7, 2022. Ministry of Digital Development of the Chelyabinsk Region More. here

ER-Telecom eliminates digital inequality in the Novosibirsk region

On August 22, 2022, ER-Telecom Holding JSC (TM Дом.ру) announced the start of the next stage in the implementation of the national program to eliminate digital inequality.

The next step of the holding plans to begin using the technical infrastructure created within the framework of the project for the implementation of solutions aimed at improving the quality of life, the level of public safety, the availability of public services for citizens and business.

Thus, Novosibirsk region the company (in the region provides services under the New telecom"" brand) will build distribution networks to provide access Internet to residents of small settlements with a population of 100 to 500 people.

By order of the district administrations, as part of the implementation of the state program "Digital Transformation of the Novosibirsk Region," by the end of 2022 in 11 villages, villages and villages, residents of more than 1,000 houses will be able to connect high-speed Internet using PON technology (Passive Optical Network, passive optical networks).

Also, in the region, the company plans to lay fiber-optic communication lines, which will provide data transmission at speeds over 100 Mbps to each house announced in the program. This speed is enough for comfortable surfing the Internet and video communication, online training or telemedicine, obtaining electronic government services and other services, watching digital TV with interactive capabilities.

Novotelecom connected the first subscribers in July 2022 in the Zdvinsky district, next in line are the settlements of Kargatsky, Iskitimsky and Karasutsky districts of the Novosibirsk region.

The construction of data transmission infrastructure and the connection of subscribers is carried out at the expense of a regional subsidy, subject to municipal co-financing.

The implementation of the project will significantly increase the country's coverage of optical infrastructure and significantly improve the quality of life of people in rural areas. We plan to connect small settlements in other regions of the country so that as many residents of such territories as possible get equal online opportunities with residents of cities and can use the most modern digital services. The provision of subsidies from the regional budget is an important measure of state support that allows the construction and development of fiber-optic lines in small settlements. We are grateful to the regional authorities for effective support for the development of digitalization, - comments Alexey Linkov, director of the interregional branch of Siberia, JSC ER-Telecom Holding, executive director of Novotelecom LLC.

2021

Putin supported the elimination of digital inequality of regions 5 years earlier

In mid-December 2021 Russia Vladimir Putin , the president decided to give instructions to speed up the process of eliminating digital inequality in the regions.

The government here has certain deadlines. They can be reduced and somewhere at the turn of, say, 2024-2025, the main tasks can be solved. We must, of course, strive for this, - said the head of state at the plenary meeting of the XXX Congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP).

According to him, the budget of Russia in 2022 will be surplus, and thanks to this, additional funds can be allocated to eliminate digital inequality. The main thing, the president emphasized, is to work out the mechanisms for solving these issues.

As an example, Vladimir Putin called providing access to high-speed Internet to rural residents. The Russian leader noted that in order to solve this problem, additional functions will need to be given to mail. The President said that he would give instructions to develop tools that speed up the solution of this problem.

With a proposal to accelerate the elimination of digital inequality in the Russian Federation, reducing the time for connecting to high-speed Internet access for 97% of the population by five years (from 2030 to 2025), in mid-December 2021, at the same congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Andrei Kuzyaev, chairman of the commission on the IT industry of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, president of ER-Telecom, spoke. According to him, so far 30% of the country's residents are not connected to high-quality broadband Internet, and most of these people live in rural areas. Communication nodes have been built, and there is no last mile to each house, the problem lies in the high cost of connecting to the Network: more than 10 thousand rubles for connecting and equipment for accessing the Internet, Kuzyaev said.

Putin, in response to the suggestion, said he "totally agreed" with him.^[3]

Rostelecom built the first base station under the UTSN 2.0 project in the Northwestern Federal District

On October 5, 2021, Rostelecom announced that it had put into test operation the first base station in the North-Western Federal District (NWFD), built as part of the second stage of the digital inequality elimination project (UCP 2.0). Read more here.

Rostelecom completed the construction of base stations in 140 settlements of 23 regions as part of the UTsN 2.0 project

On September 16, 2021, Rostelecom announced the completion of the construction of base stations in 140 settlements in 23 regions as part of the second stage of the project to eliminate digital inequality (UTSN 2.0). The project is being implemented Ministry of Digital Development Russia and Rostelecom, it provides for the emergence of mobile communications, including high-speed Internet access using LTE (4G) technology, in small settlements (from 100 to 500 residents). Read more here.

Stable cellular communication and the Internet will appear in 47 villages and villages of Udmurtia

Reliable cellular signal and mobile Internet will appear in 47 more settlements of Udmurtia (villages and villages) by the end of 2021. This was announced on August 4, 2021 by the Ministry of Informatization and Communications of the Udmurt Republic. Read more here.

Rostelecom connected the village of Seryogovo, Cherdynsky District, Perm Territory, to the Internet

In the village of Seryogovo, Cherdynsky District, Perm Territory, as part of a project to eliminate digital inequality (UTSN), the first Internet access point from Rostelecom built this year was launched. More than 300 villagers, including the Matveyev family with many children, now use the Internet for free, Rostelecom reported on June 25, 2021. Read more here.

The Ministry of Digital Development will exempt operators from frequency fees during the construction of networks in villages

In mid-June 2021, it became known that Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation would exempt telecommunications operators from frequency fees when building networks in remote villages. Read more here.

5400 public libraries will be connected to high-speed Internet

On May 11, 2021, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko announced that 5400 public libraries would be connected to high-speed Internet (at least 10 Mbps) by the end of the year. Read more here.

"Rostelecom" began the implementation of the second stage of the project to eliminate digital inequality

Rostelecom"" On April 14, 2021, it announced the start of the second stage of the project to eliminate digital inequality constructions and mobile base stations in the village. communications More. here

LTE will appear in settlements with a population of 100 to 500 people

On April 14, 2021, the second stage of the project to eliminate digital inequality (UTSN 2.0) in Russia was announced, within the framework of which mobile communications will be launched in small settlements - with a population of 100 to 500 people. The corresponding agreement was concluded by the Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation and Rostelecom.

It is expected that by the end of 2021, an LTE network will be available in almost 1200 Russian villages, villages and villages. In total, by 2030, mobile communications should appear in more than 24 thousand settlements of the country.

Base stations are planned to be connected mainly by fiber-optic communication lines, which, as noted in Rostelecom, will provide data transmission at high speed, and will also significantly increase the coverage of settlements with optical infrastructure. Base stations will also use the radio frequency range of 2,300-2,400 MHz.

The Tele2 operator, which is part of Rostelecom, acts as a competence center within the framework of this project: the company agrees on a design solution and forms a task for contractors, plans network architecture, accepts sites and supplies equipment for network construction.

In the village for 100 inhabitants, as a rule, there is no communication salon, but the issuance of a SIM card and the conclusion of an agreement on the provision of services are possible only upon presentation of a passport. Specialists will go to all settlements where base stations are launched to draw up contracts and issue SIM-cards. If you have a SIM card around the clock and free of charge (even with a zero and negative balance), calls to emergency operational services and numbers determined by the Government of the Russian Federation will be available, - said the head of Rostelecom Mikhail Oseevsky.

The first pilot base station within the framework of the UTSN 2.0 project was launched in March 2021 in the village of Redkoye, Nazyvaevsky District, Omsk Region. During public testing, the speed of mobile Internet in the village reached 50 Mbps, which is enough for video communication and the provision of telemedicine services.^[4]

Access to high-speed Internet and interactive television will be given to 2,500 residents of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Ugra

In the near future, 2,500 residents in the Kondinsky (Altai and Kama) and Khanty-Mansiysk (Siberian and Tuli) districts of the district will receive access to high-speed Internet and interactive television. This was reported on April 6, 2021 by Rostelecom. Read more here.

Rostelecom launched a base station in the village of Rare Nazyvaevsky district of the Omsk region

On March 19, 2021, Rostelecom announced the launch of the first base station in the village of Redkoye, Nazyvaevsky District, Omsk Region, as part of a project to eliminate digital inequality. Read more here.

2020

"РТКомм.РУ" provided satellite communication for remote areas of Transbaikalia

RTCOM (a 100% subsidiary of PJSC Rostelecom) has installed satellite communication stations at social infrastructure facilities in the villages of the Tungiro-Olekminsky district of the Trans-Baikal Territory - a hard-to-reach territory equated to the regions of the Far North. Rostelecom announced this on December 15, 2020. Read more here.

RTCom provided MegaFon with satellite channels for the implementation of the Accessible Internet project in Chukotka

RTCOM provided for the use of PJSC MegaFon"" additional satellite channels with a high bandwidth of up to 500 Mbps for the implementation of the "Accessible" project Internet in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. This was announced by RTCOM on November 19, 2020. More. here

6.2 billion rubles allocated for connecting villages to the Internet

Another 6.2 billion will be allocated to connect small settlements to the Internet. rubles This was announced on November 11, 2020 by the Secretary of the General Council, United Russia"" First Vice Speaker. of the Federation Council Andrei Turchak

The amendment of United Russia to the draft federal budget will speed up the elimination of digital inequality and by the end of 2021 connect about 2.5 thousand settlements from 250 to 500 people to the Internet. Also, from next year, settlements from 100 to 250 residents will begin to connect to the service, "he noted (quoted by TASS).

United Russia has prepared amendments to the second reading of the budget for 2022 and 2023. According to Andrei Turchak, they are aimed at additional provision of social guarantees and protection of certain categories of citizens. Among the amendments there is a block concerning the elimination of digital inequality.

Earlier in 2020, President RFVladimir Putin signed amendments to the federal law "On Communications," which will optimize the provision of universal communication services and increase their accessibility to the population - now residents of settlements with numbers from 100 people will also receive cellular communications and Wi-Fi points.

The new version of the law introduced a clause obliging the universal service operator to install a base cell site simultaneously with the Internet access point. The Ministry of Digital Development said that the department was faced with a situation where in 1302 settlements (out of 9 thousand already connected to the Internet), if it was possible to access the network, there was no ordinary mobile connection, which was the reason for the appearance of such an amendment. The Law "On Communications" provides for the installation of an access point not in each of these settlements, but in those of them where residents do not have the technical ability to access the Internet.^[5]

ER-Telecom Holding implements a federal project to connect rural residents to the Internet

JSC ER-Telecom Holding"" (TM "Дом.ru" and "Дом.ru Business") is implementing a federal project to connect rural residents in the the Russian regions to a high-speed network. Internet The company announced this on November 3, 2020. More. here

The primary tasks for the construction of the communication infrastructure of Yakutia have been identified

The head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aysen Nikolaev signed a decree "On the Strategy for the Socio-Economic Development of the Arctic Zone of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) until 2035," which clearly defines the primary tasks for the construction of communication infrastructure, as well as innovative development of Arctic regions. This became known on August 14, 2020.

The Minister of Innovation, Digital Development and Infocommunication Technologies of the Republic Anatoly Semenov spoke about the immediate plans implemented by the Ministry for the Arctic Circle.

In the Decree of the Head of the Republic, the main and main goal is to improve the standard and quality of human life by developing the innovative and economic potential of the Arctic regions. And one of the necessary conditions here is the provision of various types of communication and infocommunication technologies. Due to geographical, economic and other reasons, Arctic uluses have always been considered as satellite communication territories. We are faced with plans to provide residents of the Arctic uluses with high-speed access Internet to through terrestrial communication channels. More than 73 thousand people live on the territory of 13 Arctic regions of Yakutia as of August 2020. 99% of them have access cellular communications to the 2G standard, intended only for transmission voice information and SMS communications, Internet access in this vast area is carried out through channels. In satellite communications 2020, as part of the agreement concluded between PJSC "," and Rostelecom Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Oleneksky ulus, fiber-optic communication lines for the first time stepped beyond the Arctic Circle and are being built along the route "Udachny - Kharyalakh - Olenek." By the end of 2020, the FOCL will reach the regional center of the Oleneksky ulus. Further, we plan that the optics will pass through the village of Zhilinda, Oleneksky district, to the village of Saskylakh, Anabar ulus. The Ministry is considering the possibility of building a fiber optic line from the village of Ust-Nera through the village of Khonuu, the village of Zyryanka, the city of Srednekolymsk to the village of Chersky, followed by laying optics to the village of Bilibino, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. Also, from the Ministry of the Arctic of the republic, a project is being worked out for the construction of a fiber-optic line from the village of Khandyga to the village of Batagay. Thus, FOCL can provide high-quality and accessible Internet communication to residents of the Anabar, Indigir and Kolyma basins, as well as the Verkhoyansk ulus. Another of the largest federal projects being implemented in the Arctic is the laying of fiber-optic lines along the Northern Sea Route, which will allow connecting to telecommunications Arctic territories to coastal settlements, including the village of Tiksi, Bulunsky District. The implementation of these projects will allow us to further consider the expansion of the network of fiber-optic communication lines to other areas of the Arctic. Also , one of the points of the strategy provides for the development of a network IT of centers in the Arctic uluses. In 2020, the first IT center in the Arctic territory of the republic was opened in Srednekolymsk with the support of the city administration and YakStar. I am sure that the development of communication infrastructure will contribute to the opening of IT centers in other Arctic uluses. In my opinion, IT centers should become a place of attraction for people who want to develop in the IT industry, whose ideas and developments will be in demand in the domestic and foreign markets. The decree of the Head of Yakutia will become a catalyst for positive changes, economic growth, the revival of Arctic territories, and help eliminate digital inequality. The development of communication infrastructure and the introduction of infocommunication technologies will allow uluses to increase economic efficiency, give thousands of people living in the Arctic additional opportunities for, formations employment and income generation.

High-quality cellular communication for villages with a population of 100 or more

In July 2020, the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications issued a document clarifying the composition of universal communication services (UUS) and the principles of their provision. According to the plans of the department, for several years the Internet and cellular communications should be available in all settlements in which at least 100 people live.

One of the innovations concerns the installation of cellular communication points. If all operators cover the settlement by less than 75%, then it is believed that communication services are not provided here and it is necessary to install such telecommunication towers.

By July 20, UUSs are provided in settlements of 250-500 people. Previously, they included a payphone and a stationary computer with a minimum Internet speed. The Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications has included emergency warning tools in the UUS as a reserve in case other warning tools are de-energized.

In addition, collective Internet access points - stationary computers - will be replaced by Wi-Fi points.

Collective access points in small villages with stationary computers cost six times more than an Internet access point and do not provide a modern level of services, therefore they are not in demand among users, the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications noted.

According to the requirements of the ministry, the communication speed should be at least 10 Mbps, and free access to socially important sites from the list of the Ministry of Communications is also needed.

The reform of the universal communication service is provided for by the federal law "On Communications," according to which all residents of the country are guaranteed equal access to communication services. However, there are many cities and villages in Russia where there are problems with modern telecommunications. To solve the problem of digital inequality, the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of Russia has prepared a reform of the UUS fund - a reserve of universal service. The system for providing UUS was created in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 8 of Federal Law No. 126-FZ "On Communications^[6]

Shadayev: the project of the Russian satellite Internet will cost 40 billion rubles

On July 14, 2020, it became known about the planned creation of a constellation of satellites by the Ministry of Communications to provide high-speed Internet to households in hard-to-reach places. Thus, the department continues to implement a program to eliminate digital inequalities in the country.

As the head of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications Maksut Shadayev said at a meeting of the Council for the Development of the Digital Economy in the Federation Council, the creation of satellite Internet should not be perceived as "an answer to the big projects that exist in the world."

This is a big enough program. There, about 40 billion rubles are planned, this is the withdrawal of 4 spacecraft that will provide about 3-4 million households with access via direct satellite Internet, fast, he said.

The head of the department did not name the timing of the launch of the project. By July 14, 2020 Russia , the implementation of the large-scale Sphere project to create a global communication system continues. The program provides for the launch into space of hundreds of small vehicles. They will be able to perform various tasks: the system, in particular, will provide communication, high-speed Internet access and real-time optical Earth observation.

According to analysts of TMT Consulting, in 2019 satellite TV accounted for 40% of the pay TV market, cable - 42%, IPTV - 17%. The volume of the satellite Internet market in Russia at the end of 2019 amounted to 10.5 billion rubles, and the number of subscribers, including corporate ones, was 126 thousand, experts calculated.

Russian satellite Internet operators complain that they are threatened with ruin due to the need to provide subscribers with free access to socially significant sites. If the share of such traffic is not limited, they will have to raise already high prices for their services.^[7]

The Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of Russia extended the experiment on the "Accessible Internet"

Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Russia On July 2, 2020, she announced the interim results of the project to provide citizens with free access Internet to and decided to extend the experiment until December 31, 2020. More. here

WiFi Internet will appear in all villages in Russia with a population of 100 or more

On April 1, 2020, the State Duma adopted in the third reading a law on universal communication services (UUS), under which, among other things, wireless Internet will be launched in all Russian villages with a population of 100 to 250 people. Also, such settlements will be provided with mobile radiotelephone services.

The UUS includes cellular services in settlements of 100-500 residents, where Wi-Fi points are installed, and there is no cellular connection.

According to the head of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technology and Communications Alexander Khinshtein, this document, developed by the Cabinet of Ministers, will improve the quality of communication services in rural areas.

In addition, the document will finally provide Crimea and Sevastopol with its own connection. It is wrong when two entities are provided with mobile communications from neighboring regions, he said.

The document also says that, in agreement with the Rossvyaz territorial body MINISTRY OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS Russia and local government, payphones can be equipped with means of notifying the population about emergency situations.

In addition, the bill suggests that in certain regions, the government may appoint an operator of universal services. Previously, only Rostelecom performed these functions throughout the country. Also, the project excludes the point of collective access to the Internet from the UUS due to their lack of demand by the population.

Another amendment - the universal service operator will be prohibited from refusing to conclude an agreement on the connection of communication networks with another operator. This norm will allow to create competition in the communication market in those areas where it did not exist before, will allow faster introduction of modern services to the market, will increase their quality, and in the future may have a positive effect on tariffs, the authors of the initiative are sure.^[8]

There were not enough computers to connect schools and medical devices to the Internet

At the end of February 2020, it became known that there were not enough computers and network equipment to connect schools, medical facilities and other socially significant objects to the Internet.

As several participants in the telecommunications market who signed contracts for connecting to the wired Internet with the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications told RBC, out of 100,000 objects of the Digital Economy program, it was planned to connect 26,000 in 2019, 32,000 in 2020 and 42,000 in 2021.

At the end of 2019, the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications reported on the connection of 17,700 objects. According to the representative of the department, the ministry pays for data transmission traffic to operators, but the provision of facilities with automated workplaces is not provided. This obligation of the constituent entities of Russia, which the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications notified them about, he noted.

A source close to the department said that paying for traffic in the absence of office equipment "is an misuse of funds, as the Accounts Chamber warned about."    72 billion rubles are allocated for the organization of Internet access to socially significant objects within the framework of the Digital Economy program until 2021.^[9]

According to one of the interlocutors, for feldsher-obstetric points, the necessary equipment should have been purchased centrally, through a federal project on "creating a single digital circuit in healthcare on the basis of the Unified State Information System." However, this, according to him, was not possible due to the fact that the authorities of some regions received a list of social facilities for connecting to the Internet after the bidding was held. In addition, the source of the publication notes , in most of these points there is simply no place for computers.

Another source says that many schools do not have the cable wiring necessary to connect classrooms to the Internet.

2019

Completion of the UTsN project in the Rostov region

On December 26, 2019, Rostelecom announced that in the Rostov Region it had completed the work on the project "Elimination of Digital Inequality" (UCP) ahead of schedule and in full. Residents of 395 settlements of the region have free wireless Internet access. To do this, specialists from the national digital provider installed access points using Wi-Fi technology and laid more than 4 thousand km of fiber-optic communication lines. The completion of the project took place ahead of time by a year relative to the deadlines provided for by the contract.

Our region is one of the leaders in digitalization among the regions of Russia. All 100% of public services are available digitally, more than 2.5 million people are registered on the "State Services" portal. The UCP project is another serious investment in improving the quality of life of the region's population. We are aimed at creating an effective region and are systematically developing infrastructure, in particular, within the framework of the "Digital Economy of Russia" program, " commented on Herman Lopatkin, Minister of Information Technologies and Communications of the Rostov Region

In order to use the Internet through the UCN access point, the user needs to authenticate using SMS or through a confirmed account on the Public services portal. Each point of the UCN allows you to visit more than two thousand Internet resources, including the sites of regional and municipal authorities, at a speed of 10 Mbps.

{{quote 'author = added Sergey Mordasov, director of the Rostov branch of PJSC Rostelecom|In his annual investment message, the governor voiced a key idea: a public request for a higher quality of life and higher rates of economic growth. We all understand that the basic need of modern people is technology. Thanks to the UCN program, we see concrete results - the Internet has come to small settlements in the region. The built infrastructure will allow connecting optics to households and organizations, }}

The UCP project in the Rostov region has been implemented by Rostelecom together with the regional ministry of information technology and communications since 2015. In order to equalize the capabilities of residents of cities and villages, points of collective Internet access appeared in settlements of 250 to 500 people.

RDIF and Mubadala withdraw from project to eliminate digital inequality

On December 9, 2019, it became known about the withdrawal of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and the investment company Mubadala from the United Arab Emirates are withdrawing from a project to eliminate digital inequality in Russia. The project company they created, together with the balance of a loan from the National Welfare Fund (NWF), will be bought by Rostelecom, the state operator told Kommersant.

According to a representative of Rostelecom, the project company will continue to exist and, under the terms of the allocation of funds from the NWF, will continue to repay them for ten years.

According to the representative of the RDIF, a complete exit from the project is expected by the end of February 2020. Investors are happy with its yield, he said. An informed source of the publication claims that the average annual profitability of RDIF and Mubadala was approximately 18% in rubles.

RDIF and Mubadala may withdraw from the project with market profitability, although its implementation has not yet been completed, "said Yerkozha Akylbek, head of practice for working with technology, media and telecommunications companies at KPMG in Russia and the CIS.

According to Alexander Osin, an analyst at the Department of Operations on the Russian Stock Market of Freedom Finance, annual investments in the development of the project after the completion of the construction of infrastructure and the initial active attraction of customers will amount to 2-8 billion rubles a year.

Deputy Director of the Analytical Credit Rating Agency Alexander Gushchin believes that foreign investors in the future may be interested in the development of 5G infrastructure in Russia if a single operator or consortium of the largest companies is engaged in this project.

Despite the current state of the investment climate in Russia, the segment of companies managing the tower communication infrastructure may also be attractive for foreign investors, Yerkozha Akylbek is sure.^[10]

Elimination of digital inequality in the Stavropol Territory

On October 14, 2019, Rostelecom South"" reported that it provided free access to the Internet to residents of 136 settlements Stavropol Territory included in the "Elimination of Digital Inequality" (UCN) program Construction. the last 22 access points Wi-Fi were completed in Shpakovsky and Kochubeevsky districts ahead of schedule. To implement the program, the company's specialists laid 1375 kilometers optics in 26 municipal districts of the region. For construction access points within the framework of the CSP, only equipment of domestic production was used.

Addressing digital inequality is one of the key projects that addresses a range of social challenges. Free Internet access allows residents of remote villages to use modern digital services, including telemedicine, online education and biometrics. Having access to the network is an important indicator of the quality of life not only in the city, but also in the village. The company plans to connect socially significant facilities in the Stavropol Territory, such as educational institutions, fire departments, feldsher and feldsher-midwife stations and others, noted Roman Zavyazkin, director of the Stavropol branch of PJSC Rostelecom

An access point is a base station that consists of Ethernetswitchboard-, router Wi-Fi and an antenna. Rostelecom specialists coordinated their placement in each settlement with the local administration. As a rule, access points are installed in the center of the village, where socially significant institutions are concentrated.

Thanks to the well-coordinated and operational work of Rostelecom, the implementation of the project to eliminate digital inequality was completed three months ahead of schedule. In fact, since October 1, 2019, we have fully functioning wireless access points in all 136 settlements of the Stavropol Territory. At the same time, residents receive access to the Internet absolutely free of charge: they will not be charged for traffic, commented Denis Kurashov, Deputy Minister of Energy, Industry and Communications of the Stavropol Territory

In accordance with the trilateral agreement signed in July 2015 between, and Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media RUSSIAN FEDERATION Government of the Stavropol Territory PJSC Rostelecom, the operator implemented a program of measures in the region to eliminate digital inequality and increase the availability of universal communication services. The project provided for the possibility of free access to the global network at a speed of at least 10 Mbps in access points located in villages where from 250 to 500 people live.

Agreement between Rostelecom and the Central Bank in order to increase the availability of financial services for residents of remote regions of the South

On October 11, 2019, Rostelecom announced that, together with the Southern GU of the Bank of Russia, they intend to increase the level of availability of financial services for citizens of our country living in remote, hard-to-reach and sparsely populated territories of the South of Russia. The corresponding protocol was signed by the President of PJSC Rostelecom Mikhail Oseevsky and the head of the Southern Main Directorate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation Yevgeny Eberenets.

According to the agreements recorded in the protocol, the partners plan to expand access to financial services via the Internet. Thus, residents of remote settlements of the southern regions in the future will be able to remotely open and close accounts, conduct utility, commercial and social payments, draw up insurance documents and much more.

The increase in the availability of financial and many other services that can be obtained remotely is largely facilitated by the federal state program to eliminate digital inequality (UCN), which Rostelecom is implementing throughout Russia. In many regions, work has already been completed or will be completed by the end of 2019. The social significance of this program cannot be overestimated: residents of small farms, villages or villages have not only access to the Internet, they can use a number of online services, including banking. It is important that Internet access to the digital inequality program is provided free of charge, noted Rostelecom President Mikhail Oseevsky

In the South, within the framework of the UCN, as of October 2019, 892 villages have already been provided with wireless Internet access points, where from 250 to 500 residents live, about 11 thousand kilometers of optics have been laid to implement the program. In total, Rostelecom plans to provide 1555 settlements of the Southern Federal District (Southern Federal District) and the North Caucasus Federal District (North Caucasus Federal District) with free Internet access by the end of 2021.

Another effective tool for increasing the availability identification of financial services is biometric data customer-based remote.

The functioning of the banking system is impossible without modern digital solutions. They allow you to transact around the world, speed up and make any financial processes more efficient. Therefore, the agreements reached are very important in the context of the implementation of the project to increase the availability of financial services, including for residents of sparsely populated and inaccessible territories of the Southern Federal District and the North Caucasus Federal District, said Evgeny Eberents, Head of the Southern GU of the Bank of Russia

Elimination of digital inequality in the Akushinsky district of Dagestan

On August 29, 2019, Rostelecom announced the start of construction of fiber-optic communication lines in Dagestan in the high-mountain Akushinsky district. The work is carried out within the framework of the federal project "Elimination of digital inequality" (CCP). Residents of sixteen sparsely populated and remote villages of 250-500 people by the end of 2019 will be able to use the Internet for free through a Wi-Fi access point. Read more here.

Rostelecom tariffs for Internet access for hundreds of medical institutions increased by an average of 330%

On July 30, 2019, the Accounts Chamber published a report on the results of the audit of the project to connect Russian hospitals and clinics to the high-speed Internet in 2018. The connection was carried out in accordance with the President's message to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of December 1, 2016, which assumed that in the period 2017-2018 all hospitals and clinics of the country would have high-speed Internet. The connection of medical institutions is also provided for by the national program "Digital Economy," which involves laying the fiber optic fiber and Internet speed of at least 10 Mbps for medical organizations.

From the report on the audit of the Accounts Chamber it follows that in 2018 5.775 thousand medical organizations connected to the high-speed Internet. 68.3% of them previously had an Internet connection mainly using ADSL technology.

The main contractor for state contracts in 2018 was Rostelecom. For 519 medical institutions from the indicated number, Rostelecom provided services earlier. At the same time, the data transfer rate of 10 Mbps or higher was in only 62 medical organizations, which is 11.9% of the number of connected.

According to Rostelecom, which the auditors refer to, 284 of these 519 medical organizations have increased the tariff. Its average increase was 330.6%. The largest increase in the cost of communication services was recorded in the Kamchatka Territory - 28 times (it was 450 rubles/month, it became - 12,744 rubles/month) and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) - 24 times (it was 531 rubles/month, it became - 12,999 rubles/month).

And in 19 medical organizations there was a decrease in the cost of services, on average - by 33%, while the data transfer rate remained unchanged or increased.

The Accounts Chamber analyzed the letters of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and found that in 18 of the 68 subjects where the connection was carried out, in 2019 additional funds are needed to pay for communication services and organize secure communication channels in the total amount of 187.7 million rubles.

To save money, some regions conclude contracts for communication services at a speed lower than that set at 10 Mbps. This is what they do, for example, in the Voronezh region. In the Saratov region, 5 Mbps is the most sufficient to ensure stable functioning in connected divisions of medical information systems.

With all this, the analysis of the average and maximum load of communication channels showed a low degree of use by medical organizations of the provided resource, according to the report of the Accounts Chamber.

Thus, the provision of communication services at high speed at the moment seems inappropriate in view of the low load of communication channels and leads to an increase in the cost of the tariff and the need for additional funds from the budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the auditors state.

Rostelecom explained the increase in tariffs for more than half of its old medical clients, which are mentioned in the report, by the fact that after the implementation of state contracts for optics connection, the available data transfer rate in some medical institutions increased hundreds of times, especially in the Far East, which affected the level of tariffs. The company stressed that the report of the Accounts Chamber mentions regions only from the Far Eastern Federal District.

To compare the available data transfer rate before and after the implementation of the project is how to compare the speed of a horse and an aircraft, - said the press service of Rostelecom.

And the reduction in tariffs in some cases is due to the fact that they began to be determined according to a single (general) method, the company added.

Rostelecom also noted that as the executor of state contracts, there are no complaints about their company in the report.

Completion of the CSP project in North Ossetia

On July 5, 2019, Rostelecom announced that it had commissioned two points of collective access to the Internet in North Ossetia as part of the federal project "Eliminating Digital Inequality" (UCP). Residents of two more sparsely populated points of the republic - in the villages of Telman and Sovetsky Mozdok district, each of which is home to just over 300 people, have the opportunity to use modern Wi-Fi communication services. These villages are the last, provided for by the project plan in the republic, which covers 11 settlements with a population of 250 to 500 people. In total, as part of the elimination of digital inequality, specialists from the North Ossetian branch of Rostelecom built about 90 km of fiber-optic communication lines in three years .

{{quote 'author '= noted Evgeny Galtsev, director of the North Ossetian branch of PJSC Rostelecom. '| Rostelecom has completely completed a project to eliminate digital inequality in North Ossetia by installing collective Internet access points in sparsely populated areas in all regions of the republic. We are confident that thanks to the work carried out, the quality of life of people will increase, social issues will be resolved faster in the region, and the ability of the population to access information will expand. It is important that in terms of the coverage of households with optical technologies, North Ossetia occupies a leading position in the Southern and North Caucasus federal districts with an indicator of 70%, including in rural areas, }}

Now the inhabitants of our small village have joined the benefits of civilization. In addition to the collective access point, there is also high-speed Internet from Rostelecom. After the completion of work within the framework of the UCN, the data transfer rate and the quality of communication increased significantly. We immediately felt it in our daily work. Anyone can connect the service. And this means the active development of the village, including in the field of animal husbandry, agricultural business. Many problems can now be quickly solved without going to the district center,

In the near future, Rostelecom in North Ossetia plans to cover 17 villages and villages with a population of one hundred people with fiber-optic lines. The national telecom operator is conducting a large-scale construction of optical infrastructure throughout the republic. The company's priority is to provide modern digital services to residents in district centers and rural settlements.

Completion of the UCN project in the Novosibirsk region

On March 29, 2019, Rostelecom announced that the Novosibirsk region will become the first region in the Siberian Federal District, where the implementation of the presidential project to eliminate digital inequality (UTSN) in rural areas will be completed two years ahead of time. This was reported by the director of the Novosibirsk branch of PJSC Rostelecom Yuri Kupriyanov and the head of the department of informatization and development of telecommunications technologies of the Novosibirsk region Anatoly Dyubanov.

In total, 279 villages with a population of 250 to 500 people and a total number of about 96 thousand were included in the list approved in 2015 by the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation.

By January 2019, the total number of settlements in which public Wi-Fi access points operated Internet at speeds up to 10 Mbps reached 223. The total length of communication lines built by Rostelecom as part of the project since 2015 was 3,715 kilometers.

The last stage of the 2019 program included 56 small settlements of the region. Already in September 2019, collective Internet access points will work in nine villages of the Kochenevsky district. In the remaining 47, located in Zdvinsky, Kyshtovsky, Chulymsky, Vengerovsky, Dovolensky, Kolyvan, Kochkovsky, Moshkovsky and Orda districts, free Internet with a data transfer rate of up to 10 Mbps will appear in December 2019. To do this, the company will have to build over 900 kilometers of optical communication lines and install equipment that transmits a signal over wireless networks.

In 2019, we are completing the project "Eliminating digital inequality." Its success was the result of the effective interaction of our company, as the executor of the state program, and the regional authorities. UCN became the basis for the regional project "500 +." As a result of our joint work in many villages, along with free collective Wi-Fi points, an Internet on optics was held. Thanks to the UTSN highways, dozens of socially important facilities, hundreds of rural areas and thousands of their inhabitants have been provided with high-speed communication over the years. Yuri Kupriyanov, director of the Novosibirsk branch of PJSC Rostelecom

The Novosibirsk region during the entire period of the UTSN project is the leader in the number of access points commissioned among all regions of Siberia. We are finishing the project two years ahead of the curve. Early implementation of the project became possible largely thanks to the regional project "500 +," which started in 2016: the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation highly appreciated the synchronization of the projects of the UCP and "500 +" in the region and supported this initiative. Anatoly Dyubanov, Head of the Department of Informatization and Development of Telecommunications Technologies, Novosibirsk Region

Within the framework of the regional project "500 +" for two years (2016-2018), 56 villages, 4,814 households or more than 12,500 people were provided with access to high-speed Internet. For this, Rostelecom has built a 648-kilometer fiber-optic communication line. In 2019, 14 more will join the number of "digital" villages. This means that almost 900 families or more than two thousand residents will be connected to the high-speed Internet and will be able to use other communication services. By the end of 2019, it is planned to build 225.5 kilometers of fiber.

In the near future, the Novosibirsk region will have to solve another problem of a state scale. In 2019, within the framework of the national program "Digital Economy of the Russian Federation," the federal project "Information Infrastructure" starts. It aims to provide broadband access to the Internet to socially significant facilities in settlements in which from 100 people live. Rostelecom in Novosibirsk is ready to join this project.

Rostelecom eliminated digital inequality in Kalmykia

Rostelecom on March 11, 2019 announced that it had completed on time a project to eliminate digital inequality (UTSN) in Kalmykia. To this end, the company's employees laid about 1000 km of fiber-optic communication lines to 33 settlements of the republic.

Our company is a partner of the state in the implementation of the largest federal programs, among which "Elimination of digital inequality" plays an important social role. We provided high-speed Internet residents of remote and sparsely populated points in the Republic of Kalmykia. Now, thanks to the work done, they have the opportunity to use all modern digital services, which many of them did not even dream of before, - said Sergei Ovsyannikov, director of the Kalmyk branch of Rostelecom.

Previously, I could only use the Internet through mobile operators. But in our area, cellular communication is not everywhere. After installing the access point, I spent home Internet and now I can quickly find the information I need, order certificates on the public services portal, pay in an online bank, "said Aisa Badmaeva, a resident of the Tselinny district.

All Russian schools must be connected to the high-speed Internet by the end of 2021

On February 27, 2019, the President Russia Vladimir Putin approved a list of instructions for the implementation of the message to the Federal Assembly, held on February 20.

One of the instructions concerns the conduct of the Internet in schools. In particular, by the end of 2021, all educational institutions of the country must be connected to high-speed Internet.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has been appointed responsible for the implementation of this order. A report on this area should be prepared by September 1, 2019. Next, the president awaits the report once a year.

Recall that on February 18, Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with Rostelecom President Mikhail Oseevsky. During it, the head of the telecommunications company noted that Rostelecom is ready to connect 40 thousand schools for 40 billion rubles with traffic payment until 2025.

The deadline for connecting to the Internet of all small settlements has been postponed to the end of 2019

On February 21, 2019, it became known that according to the passport of the national project Digital economy"," published on the website, governments settlements where from 250 to 500 people live should be connected to the Internet by the end of 2019. The passport was approved on December 24, 2018 at a meeting of the Presidium of the Presidential Council for RUSSIAN FEDERATION Strategic Development and National Projects.

The document indicates the number of settlements of the corresponding size, 13,958, and it is reported that changes can be made to this section of the national program if the bill of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications on the organization of access points where 100 or more people live is adopted.

The provision of universal communication services (UUS) to the population as a whole should be completed by 2025. The implementation of the federal project "Information Infrastructure" is estimated at 826.94 billion rubles with the possibility of additional financing in the amount of 45.46 billion rubles. Responsible for this item of the national program are the Ministry of Communications, Rossvyaz and Rostelecom.

Previously Internet , it was supposed to provide settlements where from 250 to 500 people live as part of the program to eliminate digital inequality (UCN) by January 2019, but by February Rostelecom had deployed only about 8,000 public access points by. In Wi-Fi this regard, the Ministry of Communications and Rossvyaz called for^[11] program and the admission of independent operators to its implementation along with Rostelecom^[12] of^[13]

Rostelecom is ready to connect 40 thousand schools to the high-speed Internet for 40 billion rubles

On February 18, 2019, the President Russia Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with the head of Rostelecom"." Mikhail Oseevsky The head of the company told the president about the results of Rostelecom's work for 2018 and plans for the implementation of the new strategy.

In 2018, Rostelecom began implementing a new five-year strategy involving transformation into a digital company. The company plans to move from traditional services of telecom operators, such as data transfer, data storage, to providing the entire range of digital services. At the same time, Rostelecom will continue to concentrate on the development of the basic infrastructure.

In 2018, due to its own investment program, Rostelecom connected more than one million new apartments and private houses. The program for connecting remote settlements continues to be implemented. An underwater cable was laid to the Kuril Islands, and residents of three islands - Iturup, Kunashir and Shikotan - were able to receive services and services, as in Sakhalin, at the same tariffs.

Now we are actively working on these islands, we plan to complete the connection of the housing sector, and social institutions, and business in the first quarter. This, of course, is very important for people who are so far from the center, - said the head of Rostelecom.

In addition, the company has completed work to connect more than nine thousand medical institutions. According to Oseevsky, telecommunications, telemedicine services are actively developing in them, remote consulting technologies and much more work.

In addition, a future program for connecting schools to high-speed Internet is being discussed with the Government. The company is ready to connect 40 thousand schools for 40 billion rubles with payment for traffic until 2025.

Rostelecom still considers the completion of the Internet penetration program to be a priority area, "because this is a basic environment that should ensure the development of all digital technologies for citizens, for business, for the state."

And the work that has been largely done should, of course, be completed, because today the schools still remained a little aside. There are modern solutions for electronic content, we discuss them with the Ministry of Education, but we believe that the priority is to connect schools. It is very important to give the opportunity to children in remote villages and get access to modern solutions, and be able to communicate with teachers, "said Oseevsky.

The second priority direction is the further development of digital technologies in the state. As one example, the head of "Rostelecom" cited the program for the development of digital technologies in the prosecutor's office. It involves the installation of more than 50 thousand modern jobs in three thousand prosecutor's offices throughout the country.

This project is actively supported by the Attorney General. We are moving at a high pace. By 2021, the bulk of the work will already be carried out in digital form: both storage of documents and transfer. Of course, this is very important for a country like Russia, "he added.

Another area is related to the work on cybersecurity projects. Here the company sees great demand both from the business and from the state.

Today we have several hundred people dealing with these issues, several cybersecurity centers work around the clock, where the current situation is monitored and a very quick response to these challenges, "Oseevsky explained.

When asked by Vladimir Putin on what key areas support from the state is needed, Mikhail Oseevsky replied: "Education."

If we talk about cybersecurity, we see a great need for ourselves and for the country as a whole. Last year, they even held an all-Russian Olympiad [Cybervyzov Olympiad], more than four thousand children took part, the winners went to Sirius, we will carry out this work constantly, "said the head of Rostelecom.

According to Oseevsky, given the fact that technologies are changing very quickly, it is difficult for higher education to catch up with Rostelecom, so the largest Russian companies must largely take on the function of training specialists.

In many cases, they are already at the level of the second, third year have very high qualifications, they need to apply their knowledge, their capabilities, and, of course, they need to find new formats when the guys at the age of 18 could combine: continue their studies at the university in order to get a bachelor's degree, and at the same time already work. This is a reality, we see that they are very active, they already want to professionally assert themselves, "added Mikhail Oseevsky.

Rostelecom connected almost 2 thousand settlements in Central Russia to the Internet

For 2014-2019, within the framework of the federal project to eliminate digital inequality (UCN) in Central Russia, Rostelecom connected almost 2 thousand settlements to the Internet, in which from 250 to 500 people live. The infrastructure being created is the foundation for the implementation of the Digital Economy of the Russian Federation program, Rostelecom reported on February 19, 2019.

Together with the optics of Rostelecom, modern digital services come to remote settlements, without which the implementation of the Digital Economy is simply impossible. The availability of public services in electronic form, the ability to conduct business online, the growth of business activity - factors affecting the quality of life in the regions, - said Dmitry Kim, acting. Vice President - Director of the macro-regional branch of Center PJSC Rostelecom.

Throughout the country, Rostelecom is building wireless Internet access points. They provide the ability to transmit data within a radius of up to 100 meters at a speed of at least 10 Mbps. To do this, the digital provider is laying optics from the district center, which allows you to organize an access center in the village.

"Rostelecom" will provide the Internet to 29 more small settlements of the Tyumen region

On February 12, 2019, Rostelecom announced a proposal to implement a federal project to eliminate digital inequality in 2019 in the Tyumen region. "Optical" construction will go in 29 settlements of Ishimsky, Tobolsky, Nizhnetavdinsky, Sladkovsky and Yalutorovsky districts. This means that more than 10 thousand more people will get access to the global network.

Access Internet to specialists is organized by, in the optical communication lines village of Achira and with. Laitamak of the Tobolsk region through a satellite, and in with. Nikolskoye Sladkovsky district "optics" will come along the supports of high-voltage power lines. In each settlement, signalmen will install an access point Wi-Fi located on a reinforced concrete support. It will provide coverage with a radius of up to 100 meters in open areas with a transmission speed data of at least 10 Mbps. It is important to note that residents do not have to pay for Internet traffic, access to the network is provided completely free of charge.

In February 2019, work was carried out on the purchase of equipment and components for installing an Internet access point in the village of Laitamak and the village of Achira, Tobolsk region, and the installation of equipment in the village of Nikolskoye is also being completed. In these settlements, it is planned to launch access points for operation by the end of March 2019. By January 2019, 130 villages and villages of the region received access to high-speed Internet, out of 204 included in the federal project, numbering from 250 to 500 people.

author '= Maria Rudzevich, Director of the Informatization Department of the Tyumen Region ' In the digital economy, the task of increasing the availability and quality of Internet services even in the most remote corners of the Tyumen region is one of the priorities. It is important that residents of small villages and villages, along with urban ones, have access to modern digital services: distance learning, telemedicine, the portal of public services, can make electronic payments and communicate on social networks. I am sure that for the development of communication infrastructure in the region it is necessary to continue to increase cooperation between the government and telecom operators.

It should be noted that recently the scheme of connecting to Wi-Fi points throughout the Tyumen region has been simplified - for the convenience of users, one network is available - Rostelecom_UUS. In addition, it became possible to identify on the Unified Portal of Public Services.

The Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications proposed to eliminate the points of collective Internet access

The Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications presented in January its proposals for the reform of universal communication services, according to which collective Internet access points should be liquidated due to their lack of demand. At the same time, the department proposes to keep payphones.

The ministry also proposes to extend the requirements for the provision of universal communication services to settlements from 100 people (now the bar is set at 250 people), writes Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the Ministry of Communications and ^[14]. In addition, it is supposed to oblige Rostelecom to organize cellular communications in settlements where Internet access is provided using Wi-Fi access points. Tariffs for the use of infrastructure and services will be set by the government of the Russian Federation, according to the explanatory note of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications.

Modernization of the infrastructure of the Chegem and Cherek regions of Kabardino-Balkaria

On January 14, 2019, Rostelecom"" announced the completion of work to construction on a fiber-optic communication line in the Chegemsky and Chereksky districts of Kabardino-Balkaria. Thanks to the implemented project, subscribers in the villages of Bezengi, Bulungu and Karasu are provided with high-speed access to. to the Internet For this purpose, the company has built 60 kilometers of fiber-optical lines communications and created everything necessary in the settlements. telecommunication infrastructure

author '= Barasby Mashukov, director of the Kabardino-Balkarian branch of Rostelecom ' The modernized infrastructure of the Chegem and Cherek districts allows us to meet the growing needs of the villagers for high-quality communication. Access to the portal of public services, connection to security programs, the possibility of distance education, online banking and e-commerce, opportunities for communication - with the advent of optics in these villages, all digital services have become available to subscribers.

Residents of our village have a reputation of active Internet users in the republic and are very glad that now they have access to fast and high-quality Internet and digital services. Many procedures have become easier. The villagers now have the same opportunities as the residents of the cities.

Internet access by optics makes it possible to connect digital "Interactive Television." As an additional option, subscribers can connect "Video Surveillance" and remotely monitor their apartment, house and other objects.

2018

Increasing the availability of financial services in hard-to-reach and sparsely populated areas

On November 22, 2018, the Bank of Russia and Rostelecom announced that they had agreed to cooperate in improving the availability of financial services for Russian citizens living in remote, hard-to-reach and sparsely populated areas. The corresponding agreement was signed by First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Russia Sergei Shvetsov and President of Rostelecom Mikhail Oseevsky.

At the same time, a tripartite protocol was signed between the Bank of Russia, Post Bank and Rostelecom on testing technological solutions for priority provision of financial services to settlements experiencing difficulties in accessing them. The list includes 10 settlements of the Primorsky Territory, in which from 700 to 4,000 people live.

Under the terms of the agreement, by the end of 2018, in pilot settlements, Rostelecom will provide high-speed Internet access points to banking services based on post offices or various options for "lightweight" banking services outside of divisions using automated Post Bank devices. It is assumed that the testing stage will last the first quarter of 2019, after which it is planned to prepare a report on the effectiveness of the technical and organizational solutions used to assess the prospects for their replication in other regions.

Digitalization makes equal the opportunity to access modern services for residents of both the metropolis and the hard-to-reach village, if there is a main thing - high-speed Internet. Our joint project with the Bank of Russia and the Post Bank is designed to increase the availability of financial services in sparsely populated areas, where it is not economically feasible to organize a traditional banking branch due to low demand. Digital banking solutions will allow residents of remote settlements to comfortably use modern financial services without long trips to the nearest branch, - said Mikhail Oseevsky, President of Rostelecom.

Digital Michurinsk

On October 31, 2018, Rostelecom announced the creation of a digital village, it became the Michurinsky rural settlement of the Khabarovsk Territory in the Russian Far East. The Michurinskoye Digital Territory is an ecosystem of a settlement with all the telecommunications services necessary for a comfortable life, which cover education, medicine, public services, security, business and leisure.

To introduce digital services in four settlements of the settlement (Michurinsky, Vinogradovka, Fedorovka and Nagorny), Rostelecom built fiber-optic communication lines with a total length of more than 30 km.

As part of the project, an information and library system began to work in a rural school. It enables children and teachers to use educational and fiction online and offline from a computer, tablet or smartphone. In the rural outpatient clinic, online counseling of patients with specialists of the district hospital is now carried out. The administration has introduced an electronic household book for accounting for subsidiary farms, farmland, household animals and agricultural machinery.

On the territory of the settlement there are four information screens for posting news and ads. A street surveillance system has been launched: 26 cameras help ensure safety and order on the streets. In the near future, the image from them will be available in real time.

Residents can connect modern communication services: high-speed Internet, "Interactive Television," "Video Surveillance" and "Smart Home."

Digitalization changes the status of the territory. The attractiveness of the place of residence is determined not so much by the geopolitical position of the settlement and its size, but by the presence of a modern ecosystem for life and business. In many ways, a comfortable environment is created by information technologies that allow you to learn and work remotely, receive the necessary government services online, make your home safe and cozy. The Michurinskoye Digital Territory project is a clear example of how life in rural areas is changing thanks to technology. In the future, we are ready to deploy similar digital complexes in other regions of the Far East, as well as transfer our experience to other regions of Russia.

The integrated development of settlements of the region is inextricably linked with the introduction of modern, automated technologies. Many services and services become available to residents with the arrival of fiber optic communication lines. In 2018, a total of 27 settlements of the region will receive broadband Internet access. The project for the digitalization of a rural settlement shows what services can be received using these modern communication channels and how this increases the quality of life of citizens.

The digital village project was implemented by Rostelecom, the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of the Khabarovsk Territory, the administration of the Michurinsky rural settlement and the Pacific State University.

The Central Bank of the Russian Federation plans to provide financial services via satellite

On September 12, 2018, it became known that the Central Bank of the Russian Federation plans, in partnership with one of the satellite television operators, to launch a project to provide a set of financial services in settlements where there is no high-quality mobile or wired Internet.

Mikhail Mamuta, head of the Central Bank's Consumer Protection Service for Financial Services, spoke about this on the sidelines of the Global Forum of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion. According to him, by the end of 2018, this pilot project will be launched in several settlements, within the framework of which "lightweight" bank branches will be opened.^[15]

Anyone who has a TV connection to a satellite dish will be able to use the main set of financial services through a special set-top box and an additional application. Mikhail Mamuta, Head of Financial Services Consumer Protection at the Central Bank

Rostelecom has eliminated digital inequality in the Tula region

On July 19, 2018, it became known that in the Tula region, Rostelecom completed the implementation of the federal state program "Elimination of digital inequality" (UTSN). According to the terms of the state contract, 224 settlements are provided with social Internet in the region, in which from 250 to 500 people live. At the final stage, wireless Internet access points are installed in 83 settlements.

Under the UCP program, the digital service provider laid over 640 km of optics in the Tula region and installed 224 wireless access stations on reinforced concrete supports. Each Wi-Fi point provides coverage in open areas with a radius of up to 100 meters and an access speed of more than 10 Mbps. User authorization is carried out in full accordance with Russian law.

We began implementing the project in the Tula region in August 2015 together with the Regional Government. The connection of settlements was carried out in several stages, and it is nice to note that Rostelecom completed all work on the UCP program ahead of schedule. Now residents of villages and villages have more than just access to the Internet - they have access to information, communication and services. As part of this social project, our company provides access to the Network for free, - said Andrey Kartashov, director of the Tula branch of Rostelecom[16]

Putin ordered to hold Wi-Fi in villages with a population of 100 people

The President Russia Vladimir Putin instructed in June 2018 the government to consider adopting amendments to the law "On Communications," according to which settlements with a population of 100 or more people should be equipped with at least one means of transmitting data and accessing the Internet for collective use, without using the equipment of the subscribers themselves^[17]

The order was given following a meeting with members of the Council of Legislators on April 27. The report on behalf should be submitted by September 1, 2018, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is responsible for its implementation. The list of instructions approved based on the results of this meeting was published on the website of the President of Russia kremlin.ru.

Proposal of the speaker of the Vladimir region

The question of the need to provide Internet access in settlements with a population of 100 people or more at the meeting was raised by the chairman of the legislative assembly of the Vladimir region Vladimir Kiselev.

He noted that in a number of regions of Russia, the implementation of a state pilot project to create Wi-Fi access points in settlements with a population of 250 to 500 people continues. Including the project covers the Vladimir region. Kiselev called the project very successful and expressed a request on behalf of the regions to expand this program, setting a population threshold of 100 people instead of 250.

Kiselev also said that Wi-Fi, which appears in settlements during the implementation of the program, has a coverage area within a radius of only 100 meters. Settlements are usually much larger than this zone, so, according to the official, their residents ask them to spend the Internet home, as is practiced in cities. In addition, Kiselev noted the presence of problems with the Internet and cellular communications on highways and railways.

To solve the problem of digital inequality in Russia, the official proposes to use an integrated approach. In this regard, he supports Putin's proposal to create a domestic low-orbit satellite communication system.

Rostelecom will spend 1.3 billion to become an "operator for operators" in the countryside

Rostelecom announced in May 2018 a tender for the purchase of equipment that will allow the company to offer cellular operators to use its infrastructure in rural areas. The procurement procedure concerns the infrastructure created by Rostelecom as part of the project to eliminate the so-called digital inequality (UCN) and as part of the project to provide Internet to medical institutions^[18].

The purchase is a framework, its initial cost is 1.3 billion rubles. The specific volumes of construction and the final cost of equipment will depend on negotiations with potential customers from among cellular operators. Rostelecom wants to choose two suppliers to ensure the protection of its interests.

By implementing this project, Rostelecom will become an "operator for operators." As a result, Network as a Service (NaaS) should appear. Rostelecom added that they already have experience working with the Big Four operators to outsource their networks in remote areas, and are now requesting quotes for work on a new project.

Vladimir Putin: Russia will provide widespread access to the Internet by 2024

Universal access Internet to will be provided Russia in 2024. Such a statement in March 2018 was made by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin addressing the Federal Assembly.

'By 2024, we will provide almost universal fast Internet access. The construction of fiber-optic communication lines to most settlements with a population of more than 250 people will be completed. And remote small settlements of the far North, Siberia, the Far East will receive sustainable access through a network of Russian satellites, "Putin said

.

The project to eliminate digital inequality is 40.5% complete

Rostelecom on March 2, 2018 summed up the implementation of the project to eliminate digital inequality in 2017. During the year, Wi-Fi access points began to work in 1,747 small rural settlements of the country. On average, up to 5 villages, villages, villages and villages received high-speed Internet every day. In total, as of December 31, 2017, access points operate in 5,656 settlements, which is 40.5% of the total plan. Moreover, the schedule of the project to eliminate digital inequality in 2017 was carried out ahead of schedule (at the reporting date, implementation amounted to 102.3%), the operator said.

To connect access points, 46 thousand kilometers of fiber-optic communication lines were built, of which more than 10 thousand were in the Central Federal District.

In general, according to the project to eliminate digital inequality, Internet access points with a data transfer rate of at least 10 Mbps should be built in almost 14 thousand settlements with a population of 250 to 500 people.

From August 1, 2017, Rostelecom canceled the fee for using high-speed Internet at Wi-Fi access points built on the project to eliminate digital inequality in rural settlements. Immediately after that, a sharp increase in demand for the service was recorded. In total, since the start of the Wi-Fi access points, more than 16 million Internet sessions have taken place, and the total traffic has exceeded 2,280 TB.

The project is being implemented as part of the provision of universal communication services under an agreement with the Federal Communications Agency (Rossvyaz). In accordance with the terms of the contract, in addition to the construction and operation of Wi-Fi access points, Rostelecom provides the operation of almost 148 thousand universal payphones. As of January 1, 2018, the company canceled the fee for local telephone connections from payphones of universal communication service. Thus, all users have the opportunity to call relatives and friends in a neighboring village, in the village administration or a feldsher point without a minute payment and without a payphone card. From payphones, you can call emergency operational services around the clock and free of charge, such calls account for about a quarter of the total traffic.

The Central Bank will connect to increasing the availability of the Internet

The Central Bank of Russia plans to take measures to increase the availability of the Internet in sparsely populated areas. The regulator's goal is to expand access to financial products. According to RNS^[19], in the near future the Central Bank intends to publish an appropriate financial inclusion strategy.

"It comes

down to the fact that we divide the population into two groups. This is a group that has Internet access, as they say, not with big problems with communication with gadgets, and a group that does not have Internet access, "said Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank Sergei Shvetsov during a meeting with bankers

.

According to him, the Central Bank intends to conduct the Internet to sparsely populated points, for which it is planned to attract Russian Post and a number of other companies. Agreements have already been concluded with a number of organizations that deal with satellite services, but their names are not specified. According to Shvetsov, it is satellite Internet that will provide a minimum set of financial services to the population that lives in sparsely populated areas. Such a set, in particular, includes funds transfer, lending and insurance.

12.5 billion rubles will be allocated to eliminate digital inequality in 2018

governments of Russia Dmitry Medvedev In January 2018, the head held a meeting on the development of communication infrastructure. One of the tasks remains the implementation of the program to eliminate digital inequality (CSP) and ensure a single information space of the country. According to the Cabinet of Ministers, over the past three years, more than 5 thousand small settlements have been provided with modern communication.

"This

work is being carried out with the funds of the so-called universal service reserve, to which operators regularly deduct part of the income. It should be continued, especially in hard-to-reach and border areas. This year, the budget provides 12.5 billion rubles for these purposes, "Medvedev

said.

In addition, it is necessary to complete the work on connecting broadband internet state to and municipal organizations. In 2017, about 2 billion rubles were allocated for these purposes, about 3 thousand connection points were created.

2017

Construction of almost 570 km of optical communication lines in Ugra

In 2017, almost 570 km of optical communication lines were built by telecom operators in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra. Thanks to the "optics," 18 thousand Ugra families from 37 settlements of the district received the technical possibility of connecting to modern telecom services, according to the Department of Information Technologies of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Ugra in January 2018.

The promising technology of "optics to the apartment" allows you to conduct several telecom services to the apartment at once: high-speed Internet (up to 200 Mbps), interactive television and digital telephony.

Construction is carried out not only in large cities, but also in small settlements of the district, some of them came "optics" last year for the first time. These are the villages of Talinka, Oktyabrsky district, Zelenoborsk, Taezhny, Agirish, Sovetsky district, Svetly, Berezovsky district, Mezhdurechensky, Kondinsky district. For the first time, almost 3 thousand Ugra families living in them got the opportunity to use high-quality communication services.

For the successful social development of any territory, the presence of modern telecom infrastructure is important. The successful implementation of such significant state projects as "Information Society," "Electronic Government," "Digital Economy" directly depends on the availability of Internet services, there are opportunities for distance learning, business development and leisure, - said Pavel Tsiporin, Director of the Department of Information Technologies of Ugra. - One of the priority tasks of the Government of Ugra is to provide all residents of the Autonomous Okrug with high-speed and reliable access to modern communication services. To solve this problem, an agreement was concluded several years ago between the Government of the Autonomous Okrug and Rostelecom, thanks to which more and more Ugra residents get the technical opportunity and comfortable conditions for using telecom services using the "optics to apartment" technology.

Work on the development of telecom infrastructure contributes to the implementation of the federal program "Digital Economy," which determines the vector of economic development throughout the country for the coming years. Thanks to the active construction of modern communication networks in Ugra, more than 460 thousand Ugra families - this is almost 80% of the total population of the region, are provided with access to high-speed telecom services using optical technology. In 2018, this work will continue - "optics" will come to at least 14 thousand more households in Ugra, - said Dmitry Lukoshkov, director of the Khanty-Mansiysk branch of PJSC Rostelecom.

In addition to the construction of telecom networks, during 2017, a phased modernization of existing local radio relay communication lines was carried out for users from small settlements of the district: Repolovo, Vykatnaya, Tyuli, Nyalinskoye, Seliyarovo, Kedrovy, Elizarovo, Kirpichny, Kyshik and Batovo (Khanty-Mansiysk district), Peregrebnoye, Sherkaly and Zarechny (Oktyabrsky district), Lokosovo (Surgutsky district), Konchyra district), dinovsky. Signalmen replaced outdated equipment with more powerful equipment, which allowed from 2 to 30 times to increase the speed of Internet access for more than 5 thousand Ugra families.

In 2018, more than 400 km of "optics" will be built to 8 settlements of the Berezovsky district. It is also planned to modernize radio relay communication lines with a total length of more than 420 km to at least 10 settlements.

The inclusion of Crimea in the program to eliminate digital inequality

Crimea will be included in the program to eliminate digital inequality (UTSN), the news agency reported in early December 2017 TASS Information Agency of Russia with reference to the chapter. Ministry of Communications and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation Nikolay Nikiforov As you know, the program involves the provision of universal communication services, including connection to high-speed, to the Internet small settlements of 250 to 500 people.

Crimea is the territory of the Russian Federation, so small settlements of the Republic of Crimea should also be connected. I am not ready to say a specific plan, schedule, but the fact that this will be done is beyond doubt. Both hospitals and small settlements should be connected, - said Nikiforov.

The minister recalled that according to the plans of the authorities, all hospitals and clinics of the country, including in Crimea, should be connected to the high-speed Internet by the end of 2018.^[20]

Over 300 settlements of the Novosibirsk region will provide modern communication services

On October 17, 2017, as part of the reform of universal communication services (UUS) and the program to eliminate digital inequality, a tripartite cooperation agreement was signed with the Novosibirsk Region. The document was signed by the Minister of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Nikolai Nikiforov, President of Rostelecom Mikhail Oseevsky and Acting Governor of the Novosibirsk Region Andrei Travnikov.

The agreement provides for the provision of modern communication services to over 300 settlements of the region. The goal of cooperation is the development of telecommunication infrastructure and integrated state information systems in the Novosibirsk region. And one of its main directions is to eliminate digital inequality and ensure equal opportunities for all residents of the regions in using modern communication services, including high-speed Internet access.

According to the signed document, in 279 settlements of the Novosibirsk region, where from 250 to 500 people live, access points will be installed that provide free broadband Internet access without restrictions on the amount of information transmitted or received at a speed of at least 10 Mbps. In another 24 settlements of the region, where over 500 people live, it is planned to modernize the local and intra-zone telecommunication network, which will allow providing modern communication services, including access to high-speed Internet.

It is expected that the signed trilateral agreement will allow the rapid implementation of the plan for the construction of communication channels and remove all possible administrative barriers to the implementation of the agreement.

As of October 2017, 47 constituent entities of the Russian Federation signed trilateral cooperation agreements.

The popularity of Wi-Fi points has grown sharply after the zeroing of tariffs

Already in the first month after the abolition of charging at Wi-Fi points built on the project to eliminate digital inequality, a sharp increase in demand for a high-speed Internet access service was noted. According to Rostelecom on September 29, 2017, the number of Internet sessions (Internet access) at access points increased by 35%: if 903 thousand were recorded in July, then 1,215 thousand sessions were already in August. The total volume of Internet traffic at Wi-Fi points in August for the first time exceeded 1 PB - 27% more than a month earlier.

As we assumed, the abolition of Internet access fees at Wi-Fi points led to a sharp increase in demand for the service. The decision to zero tariffs was made, among other things, due to the fact that in small settlements, especially remote ones, there are few opportunities to make a payment - there, as a rule, there are no bank or post offices, ATMs or terminals. We removed these restrictions - and the popularity of Internet access immediately increased. This means that our project fully proves its relevance and purpose - it provides residents of the country with equal digital opportunities, regardless of the size of the settlement and its inaccessibility, - said the president of Rostelecom Mikhail Oseevsky.

Since August 1, 2017, the operator has canceled the fee for using high-speed Internet at Wi-Fi access points built on the project to eliminate digital inequality. They are being built as part of the provision of universal communication services in remote and inaccessible small settlements (with a population of 250 to 500 people). The data transfer rate at access points is at least 10 Mbps.

As of June 30, 2017, universal communication services using Wi-Fi access points are provided in 4,690 settlements, which is 34% of the total plan (in total, almost 14 thousand points should be built by the end of 2019). 35 thousand kilometers of fiber-optic communication lines were laid, as of September 2017, work is underway on another 15 thousand kilometers of fiber-optic lines.

More than 240 Russian enterprises were involved in the implementation of the project, the total number of personnel involved exceeds 9 thousand people. All equipment, cable and other materials used in the project are exclusively Russian-made.

High-speed Internet became available to residents of Norilsk

On September 25, 2017, the Minister of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Nikolai Nikiforov and the General Director of Norilsk Nickel Vladimir Potanin held the opening of a fiber-optic communication line (VOLS) in Norilsk. This northernmost city in the world with a population of about 180 thousand people received a modern connection. The line, with a length of more than 950 km and a capacity of 40 Gbps, will provide Norilsk residents with high-quality and affordable high-speed Internet access services. Together with Norilsk, residents of the neighboring city of Dudinka with a population of about 22 thousand people will also receive quick access to the Internet. FOCL will also allow modern communication to be carried out in clinics and hospitals in the region.

It is gratifying that an entire city has connected to the high-speed Internet in Russia at once, where almost 180 thousand people live. It is the world's northernmost city with such a resident population. That is why the connection got here only now, - said the head of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of Russia Nikolai Nikiforov. - It was a complex, expensive, but certainly a very important project. I am glad that, despite all the difficulties, both geographical and economic, we, in the end, implemented it. This is a real feat of Russian signalmen.

The head of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of Russia stressed that high-speed Internet is not only entertainment, but also distance education, telemedicine, access to high-quality state services in electronic form. Together with the full-fledged Internet, residents of Norilsk will have access to all online services: Post Bank is already operating in the city, and the Yandex.Taxi service will be launched in the near future.

The next stage in solving the problem of digital inequality will be the laying of a high-speed communication line in the city of Anadyr, where over 15 thousand people live today. The Chukotka Autonomous Okrug now remains the only region of the Russian Federation where the main fiber-optic line has not yet arrived. There, communication services, including Internet access, are still carried out through telecommunications satellites.

Another important social task that Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Russia has been engaged in for several years is to provide high-speed communication to small towns and villages of Russia, where from 250 to 500 people live. As of September 2017, over 32 thousand kilometers of fiber-optic communication lines have already been laid, high-speed Internet has arrived in 3909 settlements. According to the plan, a total of 10 thousand settlements will be connected, over 215 thousand km of fiber-optic lines will be laid. Also, over 13 thousand medical institutions throughout Russia will be connected to the high-speed Internet. As part of this connection, the FOCL will be laid in 3 thousand settlements of the Russian Federation, where it has never been. Internet

"Tattelecom" will deal with the elimination of digital inequality in small villages of Tatarstan

On September 20, 2017, Rostelecom announced the conclusion of a contract for cooperation with Tattelecom in the implementation of a project to eliminate digital inequality (UCP). As part of the obligations undertaken, the republican universal operator will prepare the communication infrastructure and install 676 Internet access points in small rural settlements of the Republic of Tatarstan with a population of 250 to 500 people by December 31, 2017. It is planned that villagers will be able to use Internet access for free at a speed of 10 Mbps at the beginning of 2018.

Also, by the end of 2017, Tattelecom will organize "last miles" to Internet access points using optical communication lines, install pillar supports, supply power to them and install and configure equipment. In addition, the operator will perform maintenance of access points and emergency recovery operations.

The delegation to Tattelecom of powers to organize and maintain access points in Rostelecom was explained by the fact that the operator has the most developed optical communication infrastructure in the region. Thus, this decision has become the most rational both in terms of investments and in terms of performance of work.

The conclusion of the agreement with Tattelecom was preceded by a meeting between Rostelecom President Mikhail Oseevsky and Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov in May 2017, during which the parties discussed cooperation in the development of the region's telecommunications infrastructure, including the implementation of a project to eliminate digital inequality.

In 2016, over 76% of the population used the Internet in Russia

Minister of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Nikolai Nikiforov took part in two sessions of the meeting of the UN Commission on Broadband Communications (Broadband Access) for sustainable development, the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation reported on September 18, 2017. Their topics were overcoming digital inequality and the availability of digital entrepreneurship until 2030. During the event, a report on the development of broadband Internet access was presented . According to experts, in 2016, 76.4% of the population used the Internet in Russia.

Addressing digital inequality

During the first session, they discussed the changing face of digital inequality and the possibility of politics to help overcome it. It was noted that Russia is successfully implementing its own plan to increase the availability of broadband access services. Thus, in 2016, the planned indicator of 50% was exceeded in terms of the share of citizens using electronic public services, and by 2018 the level of availability of broadband access services should reach 90%. The project "Modern Digital Educational Environment in the Russian Federation," which will result in the creation of over 3,500 online courses by 2020, designed to provide all categories of the population with free free access to the knowledge and experience of the country's best teachers, was also noted.

Digital Entrepreneurship Development

The theme of the second session was the availability of digital entrepreneurship until 2030. The eighth goal of sustainable development of the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development for 2030 is defined as "promoting progressive, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all," while the implementation of the digital economy is becoming more and more urgent.

It is noted that over the past few years, Russia has achieved success in the development of legislation and technologies in the field of digital entrepreneurship. As of September 2017, there are more than 6 thousand B2B electronic trading platforms and 6 B2C federal electronic trading platforms in Russia. The number of companies participating in electronic trading is estimated at approximately 1.2 million. In the first quarter of 2017, the volume of the online trading market in Russia grew by 14% and amounted to 240 billion rubles, and the volume of cross-border trade increased by 26% to 89 billion rubles.

As stated during the meeting, Russia continues to increase efforts to simplify cross-border electronic trade through reliable digital means and considers it necessary to strengthen cooperation in order to prevent the emergence of barriers to market access. Important tasks were called joint work in the field of consumer protection, the development of the latest information and communication technologies and the strengthening of user confidence, which is a key element of the digital economy.

By September 1, all schools in Russia are connected to high-speed Internet

By September 1, all schools in the country were provided with access to high-speed Internet, said Minister of Education and Science Olga Vasilyeva on August 28, 2017 during a conference call chaired by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on the readiness of the education system for the beginning of the 2017-2018 academic year.

All schools are connected to the Internet, despite the difficult geographical conditions, it is high-speed, - said the head of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia.

According to Vasilyeva, the Ministry of Education and Science notes positive dynamics in most indicators of technical support. Almost every school has a fire and anti-terrorist security system.^[21]

As Dmitry Medvedev noted, in 2017, 3 billion rubles were allocated for material support of schools by the Government of the Russian Federation, including for teaching facilities, computers, providing access to the Internet, modern gyms, canteens, and transport.

Fiber-optic communication lines provide high speed and uninterrupted connection, which allows not only to provide access to information resources of the Internet at social infrastructure facilities, but also to introduce modern technological solutions (for example, telemedicine) and modern security systems with intelligent video surveillance, - noted in the group of companies "RBS-Telecom"[22]

Earned the first points of connection of medical institutions to high-speed Internet

The first medical institutions began to receive high-speed access to the Internet as part of the implementation of the President's Address of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to the Federal Assembly in December 2016. This was reported on August 25, 2017 Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media in Russia.

Connection points

The Minister of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Nikolai Nikiforov, together with the Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region Yevgeny Kuyvashev, opened the first point of connection of the medical institution to the high-speed Internet. Access to the network via a fiber-optic communication line (VOLS) was received by the Kamenskaya Central District Hospital, located one hundred and three kilometers from the capital of the region of Yekaterinburg in the village of Pozarikha. A similar connection worked in Udmurtia: there, the head of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of Russia and the interim head of the republic, Alexander Brechalov, opened a high-speed communication line in the Zavyalovsky district hospital, located in the village of Italmas near the regional capital, Izhevsk.

President's Message

The President announced the need during 2017-2018 to provide all hospitals and clinics of the country with modern high-speed communication channels to fully use the capabilities of telemedicine and video communication between doctors and colleagues from regional and federal clinics. On July 28, 2017, the Government of the Russian Federation allocated funds in the amount of 5.46 billion rubles for the implementation of this task. Connection is provided by Rostelecom, which also provides high-speed communication to small settlements throughout the country. Medical institutions are connected via fiber optic, the measured speed is 100 Mbps.

Program

In general, the connection program will cover 13,890 medical institutions throughout Russia. About 3,000 hospitals and clinics are planned to be connected in 2017. As of August 2017, in the Sverdlovsk region, the level of provision of medical institutions with high-speed communications is 53%, as part of the program in 2017, 390 hospitals and clinics in the region will provide fast Internet; accordingly, in Udmurtia, 62% of medical facilities already have high-speed communication; in total, 106 hospitals and clinics will receive modern Internet access in 2017.

High-quality and uninterrupted communication is necessary for the provision of modern medical services, including using electronic document management and telemedicine systems. Fiber-optic communication lines will allow not only to guarantee constant high-speed connection, but also to introduce modern technological solutions in medical institutions, including various digital diagnostic equipment, "Nikolai Nikiforov emphasized. - The implementation of the program will be an important addition to the work to provide citizens with modern communication, which is already being carried out by the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of Russia as part of the program to eliminate digital inequality. The fact is that now the state provides communication in settlements where from 250 to 500 people live. And the high-speed communication program to hospitals involves the construction of telecommunications highways to small towns and villages with a population of 500 or more. At the same time, not only other social facilities, but also residential buildings can be connected to the highway that goes to the medical institution. "

Rostelecom cancels Wi-Fi fees in villages with a population of 250-500 people

At a meeting with the chairman Governments of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev , the president of Rostelecom Mikhail Oseevsky proposed from August 1, 2017 to abolish the fee for using high-speed access Internet Wi-Fi points built on the project to eliminate digital inequality in rural settlements. The head of the cabinet supported the initiative.

Thus, since August 2017, it will be possible to use the Internet at access points (Wi-Fi), which are being built as part of the provision of universal communication services in remote and hard-to-reach small settlements (with a population of 250 to 500 people), absolutely free of charge. Previously, there was a tariff of 45 rubles per month.

Since 2014, Rostelecom has been a single operator of universal communication services in the country and has successfully implemented a project to eliminate digital inequality. We have accumulated experience, collected and analyzed feedback from administrations, from ordinary users and came to the conclusion that it is possible to zero tariffs at Wi-Fi points built according to the project. We see that in small settlements, especially remote ones, there are restrictions on the points of payment - there, as a rule, there are no bank or post offices, ATMs or terminals. Therefore, we meet users halfway and make the Internet at high speed at Wi-Fi points in the village free, - justified the proposal to cancel the fee, Rostelecom President Mikhail Oseevsky.

According to the company, the possibility of entering the World Wide Web at the project's access points is in high demand for villagers. So, for a year and a half of the points, 6.2 million Internet sessions took place, and the total traffic exceeded 727 TB. Moreover, the number of sessions and traffic are growing at a high pace. The data transfer rate at access points is at least 10 Mbps.

Rostelecom's proposal was met with mixed reception. Considering that 21% of Russians live in points with such a population (this is 11 million households), the program can no longer be called social, since it clearly implies commercial benefits. Therefore, issuing money for it is no longer the task of the state. However, if you adjust it and designate the framework for the maximum number of inhabitants up to 3000 thousand, then such an initiative seems to officials more adequate.

The head of the company also cited the results of the project to eliminate digital inequality as of June 30, 2017. The schedule of construction and installation works is performed 100%. At the reporting date, 4,690 access points were commissioned, or 34% of the total plan (in total, almost 14 thousand points should be built by the end of 2019). 35 thousand kilometers of fiber-optic communication lines were laid, work is underway on another 15 thousand kilometers of fiber-optic lines.

As Mikhail Oseevsky noted, more than 240 Russian enterprises were involved in the implementation of the project, the total number of personnel involved exceeds 9 thousand people. All equipment, cable and other materials used on the project are exclusively of Russian manufacture.

The infrastructure built as part of the project to eliminate digital inequality can be used to implement other projects of a national scale. For example, to provide high-speed Internet access to health care institutions.

Four tripartite agreements as part of the reform of the UUS and the program to eliminate digital inequality

On June 1, 2017, at the twenty-first St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), four tripartite cooperation agreements were signed as part of the reform of universal communication services (UUS) and the program to eliminate digital inequality. The agreements on joint activities were signed by the Minister of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Nikolai Nikiforov, President of PJSC Rostelecom Mikhail Oseevsky, Governor of the Kurgan Region Alexei Kokorin, Governor of the Murmansk Region Marina Kovtun, Governor of the Tyumen Region Vladimir Yakushev, Governor of the Bryansk Region, Chairman of the Government of the Bryansk Region Alexander Bogomaz. Within the framework of the signed agreements, more than 750 settlements will be provided with modern communication services.

The purpose of the signed agreements is the development of telecommunication infrastructure and complex state information systems on the territory of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. One of the main areas of cooperation is to eliminate digital inequality and ensure equal opportunities for all residents of the regions in using modern communication services, including high-speed Internet access.

According to documents in 758 settlements of four regions, where from 250 to 500 people live, access points will be installed that provide broadband Internet access at a social tariff. Its size was approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 312 of April 2, 2015 and is 45 rubles per month without restrictions on the volume of information transmitted or received at speeds up to 10 Mbps. In 19 more settlements of these regions, where more than 500 people live, it is planned to modernize the local and intra-regional telecommunication network.

Rostelecom builds more facilities than it is paid from the federal budget

Auditor of the Accounts Chamber Vera Chistova at the annual board of the Federal Communications Agency (Rossvyaz) reported that the agency and the operator Rostelecom violated the Law on the Budget. We are talking about a contract for the provision of universal communication services, which Rossvyaz concluded with Rostelecom in 2014 for a period of 10 years^[23]

According to the contract, Rostelecom undertakes to support the operation of universal payphones and collective Internet access points (PCDs) throughout the country. Rostelecom should also implement an ambitious program to eliminate "digital inequality" - to conduct by 2020 in all settlements with the number of inhabitants from 250 to 500 people main fiber-optic cables with a speed of at least 10 Mbps (that is, to install access points in such settlements).

The state pledged to compensate Rostelecom for losses from the provision of universal services. The amount of the entire contract is up to 163 billion rubles. To this end, Rossvyaz supports the Universal Service Reserve, which collects 1.2% of their revenue from all telecom operators. Each year the Reserve is replenished by approximately 15 billion rubles.

However, not all funds collected in the Reserve in the Federal Budget are directed to universal service. As a result, the project to eliminate the "digital inequality" faced underfunding, and Rossvyaz formed a billion dollar debt to Rostelecom (at the end of 2014 it amounted to 10.9 billion rubles).

Wi-Fi appeared in Altai villages as part of the implementation of the UCP program

In the spring of 2017, Rostelecom launched wireless Internet access in 24 small villages and villages of the Altai Territory, located mainly in the western part of the region, as well as in the suburbs of Biysk and Slavgorod. "Rural Wi-Fi" within the framework of the federal program to eliminate digital inequality (UCN) operates in a total of 83 settlements in the region.

Rostelecom in the Rostov region built 2000 km of optics as part of a project to eliminate digital inequality

About this in March 2017 , the director of the Rostov branch of PJSC Rostelecom Sergey Alkhasov at a round table organized by the Publishing House "Komsomolskaya Pravda." The theme of the round table is the development of communication infrastructure in the region. The discussion was attended by the Minister of Information Technologies and Communications of the Rostovsky Region German Lopatkin and leading telecom operators of Don.

"Complink" built a fiber-optic line in Bashkortostan and the Samara region

As part of the federal project to eliminate digital inequality (CPT), the Complink Group of Companies has built more than 320 km of fiber-optic line in Bashkortostan. Access endpoints are established in 35 districts with a population of 250 to 500 people. P

See more about the project here.

On January 25, 2017, the Complink group of companies announced the completion of the construction of a 320 km fiber-optic line in the Samara region, as part of a state project to eliminate digital inequality (UCP).

For more information about the project, see the [here|http://tadviser.ru/a/356690 here].

VOLS covers 60% of the population of Yakutia

According to the report of the Minister of Communications and Information Technologies of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Alexander Borisov, as of February 1, 2017, 3821 km of fiber-optic communication lines (FOCL) were built on the territory of the republic. The FOCL network covers 75 settlements, where about 60% of the subject's population lives. The development of FOCL networks makes it possible to significantly reduce the cost of communication services for the population and business. So, according to the report, the estimated cost of conditional access at a speed of 1 Mbps with the arrival of fiber-optic fiber drops by about 20 times.

Due to geographical features in the territory of Ruspublika Sakha (Yakutia) in 500 settlements, where about 25% of the population lives, there is no technical possibility of connecting to the fiber-optic network and the only way to organize communication are satellite communication channels. In recent years, the availability of communication services in the republic has grown significantly, including thanks to the program for the development of a civilian constellation of communication and broadcasting satellites. As part of this program, seven spacecraft were launched in 2013-2015, including Express-AM5, which provides coverage of the western part of the republic using a Ka-band transponder.

2016

In 2016, it was planned to collect 14.8 billion rubles from the universal fund, but Rostelecom received only 7.9 billion rubles from the federal budget. The operator's president, Sergei Kalugin, warned at meetings with reporters that the lack of money could negatively affect the company's financial performance and it would discuss options for revising the program or additional funding. A person close to Rostelecom said that in order to free up funds to continue the project to eliminate digital inequality, it would be more expedient to close collective access points that are not popular and are expensive to maintain^[24].

Almost 35 thousand km of fiber-optic communication lines were built, work continues in 71 subjects. Separate agreements have been signed, where specific settlements are directly mentioned, with 42 regions.

Almost four thousand settlements are connected to the Internet as part of the reform of the UUS

By the end of the year, the construction of more than 34 thousand kilometers of fiber-optic communication lines (FOCL) to settlements with a population of 250 to 500 people was completed. High-speed Internet came to 3909 settlements.

In 2016, Internet access points were introduced in 70 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. In the settlements on the territory of which access points are installed, there are about 400 thousand households.

Broadband Internet access at access points is provided at a social tariff, the amount of which was approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 312 of April 2, 2015 and amounts to 45 rubles per month without restrictions on the volume of information transmitted or received at speeds up to 10 Mbps.

In 2017, work to organize the provision of universal communication services using access points will continue.

In total, about 215 thousand kilometers of fiber optic lines should be built to implement the program to eliminate digital inequality. By order of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 437-r dated March 26, 2014, the Rostelecom company was appointed the single federal operator of universal service. On May 13, 2014, a ten-year agreement was signed between the Federal Communications Agency and Rostelecom on the conditions for providing UUS. In accordance with the terms of the agreement, Rostelecom ensures the functioning of 149 thousand universal payphones and almost 21 thousand points of collective Internet access

.

2750 km of optics was built by Rostelecom in southern Russia as part of a project to eliminate digital inequality

Rostelecom in the Southern Federal District and the North Caucasus Federal District laid 2,750 km of fiber to provide 188 settlements of 250 to 500 people as part of a project to eliminate digital inequality (UCP).

"To date, 2750 km of fiber-optic lines have already been built as part of the project, that is, 100% of those planned for this year. 156 settlements are connected, now we are actively engaged in connecting the remaining ones, "explained Alexander Shipulin, director of the South macro-regional branch of Rostelecom PJSC. "Thus, this year we will connect another 32 settlements to high-speed Internet and to other possibilities of modern communication."

For construction access points, Rostelecom uses domestically produced equipment. The access point itself is a reinforced concrete support several meters high, on which a climate cabinet and the necessary equipment are attached: Ethernet-, switchboard router Wi-Fi and antennas, which provide a circular coating. The equipment is designed to operate in difficult climatic conditions. Everyone using any device that supports data transfer using Wi-Fi technology will have access to the Internet at a speed of 10 Mb/s.

Three types of networks are available to users: RTOpen, RTFree, RTWi-Fi. In the RTOpen network, the client can register in a single personal account and connect the service using the issued login and password. On the RTFree network, the subscriber uses free access to the list of sites of state authorities, the Unified Portal of State and Municipal Services, the information portal of Universal Communication Services, the Unified Personal Account of Rostelecom and a number of media outlets. On the RTWi-Fi network, access to Internet resources is unlimited: the user can visit news portals, social networks, download multimedia content and much more. A necessary condition is the presence of a positive balance on the subscriber's personal account, payment is made by monthly or daily debiting of funds.

Also, during the construction of fiber-optic communication lines, within the framework of the project to eliminate digital inequality, the possibility of connecting additional settlements along the route of communication lines is being considered. Also, in a number of settlements, it is planned to modernize data transmission nodes to provide broadband Internet access and replace analog telephone exchanges with modern digital ones.

The program to eliminate digital inequality in the Russian Federation can be extended for three years

The implementation of the Digital Inequality Elimination Program (DCP) may be delayed by three years due to lack of funding. In particular, due to the fact that part of the funds intended for the work is redistributed by the government to other needs^[25].

So, in 2016, the executor of the UCP project - Rostelecom - will receive less than 7 billion rubles from the planned 14.8 billion. And if the program was originally planned to be completed by the end of 2018, in fact this period can be significantly shifted.

Rostelecom President Sergei Kalugin said that while the work is being carried out according to schedule, however, the operator has already completed some of them in advance.

"Instead of 14 billion rubles, we received 8.8 billion rubles. That is, we built something in advance, and now there is a reconciliation of what exactly we did with money from the UUS Fund, and what in advance with our own funds. It is clear that the customer should somehow compensate us for this. We expect to cover these costs from the funds received for the CSP project in 2017, "he said.

According to him, "Rostelecom" has already completed part of the work, ahead of schedule, but now the process is proceeding in accordance with the planned deadlines.

Tula region signed a trilateral agreement as part of the program to eliminate digital inequality

In December, during the working visit of the Minister of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Nikolai Nikiforov to Tula, a tripartite cooperation agreement was signed with the Tula region as part of the reform of universal communication services (UUS) and the program to eliminate digital inequality. The document was signed by the head of the Ministry of Communications of Russia Nikolai Nikiforov, the governor of the Tula region Alexei Dyumin and the president of Rostelecom Sergey Kalugin. According to the document, as part of the construction and modernization of the local and intra-regional telecommunication network, residents of 435 settlements will be provided with modern communication services in the Tula region.

The purpose of the signed agreement is the development of modern telecommunication infrastructure and complex state information systems in the Tula region. One of the main areas of cooperation is to eliminate digital inequality and ensure equal opportunities for all residents of the region in using modern communication services.

"435 settlements for us are not just numbers, but completely specific people who live there and who, during the implementation of the program, will have access to modern communication services at affordable tariffs," said Nikolai Nikiforov, head of the Ministry of Communications of Russia. - In his message to the Federal Assembly, the President set the task of providing hospitals and clinics with high-speed Internet access. This task would not be possible without our program to eliminate digital inequality, which we are implementing in conjunction with Rostelecom. "

According to the document, in 224 settlements of the Tula region, where from 250 to 500 people live, access points will be installed that provide broadband Internet access at a social tariff. Its size was approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 312 of April 2, 2015 and is 45 rubles per month without restrictions on the volume of information transmitted or received at speeds up to 10 Mbps. In another 211 settlements of the region, where more than 500 people live, it is planned to modernize the local and intra-zone telecommunication network.

The signed trilateral agreement with the Tula region will make it possible to implement the plan for the construction of communication channels as quickly as possible and remove all possible administrative barriers to the implementation of the agreement.

Pskov region entered the program to eliminate digital inequality

The document was signed by the Minister of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Nikolai Nikiforov, the President of Rostelecom Sergey Kalugin and the Governor of the Pskov Region Andrei Turchak signed a trilateral cooperation agreement as part of the reform of universal communication services (UUS) and the program to eliminate digital inequality, the Ministry of Communications reports.

The Pskov region became the fortieth region of the Russian Federation to sign such an agreement. Within the framework of the agreement, modern communication services, including high-speed access to, Internet as well as providing communication services to social facilities such as schools, hospitals, post offices, state institutions, 108 settlements of the region will be provided. The goal of the project is the development of modern telecommunication infrastructure and complex state information systems in the region.

According to the document, in 100 settlements of the Pskov region, where from 250 to 500 people live, Internet access points will be installed at a social tariff. Its size was approved by a decree of the Government of the Russian Federation and is 45 rubles per month without restrictions on the volume of information transmitted or received at speeds up to 10 Mbps. In eight more settlements of the region, it is planned to modernize the local and intra-zone telecommunication network.

Kaliningrad and Kursk regions signed trilateral agreements as part of the program to eliminate digital inequality

In November 2016, two tripartite cooperation agreements were signed as part of the Universal Communications Services (UUS) reform and the digital inequality elimination program. The agreements on joint activities were signed by the Minister of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Nikolai Nikiforov, President of Rostelecom Sergey Kalugin, Acting Governor of the Kaliningrad Region Anton Alikhanov and Governor of the Kursk Region Alexander Mikhailov. Within the framework of the signed agreements, more than 360 settlements will be provided with communication, where from 250 to 500 people live.

The purpose of the signed agreements is to develop modern telecommunication infrastructure and integrated state information systems in the Kaliningrad and Kursk regions. One of the main areas of cooperation is to eliminate digital inequality and ensure equal opportunities for all residents of the regions in using modern communication services, including high-speed Internet access, as well as providing communication services to social facilities, including schools, hospitals, post offices, and various government agencies.

Under the terms of the agreements, in 127 settlements of the Kaliningrad region and in 237 settlements of the Kursk region, access points will be installed that provide broadband Internet access at a social tariff. Its size was approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 312 of April 2, 2015 and is 45 rubles per month without restrictions on the volume of information transmitted or received at speeds up to 10 Mbps. In 12 more settlements of the Kaliningrad region and 10 settlements of the Kursk region, it is planned to modernize the local and intra-regional telecommunication network.

The signed tripartite agreements with the Kaliningrad and Kursk regions will make it possible to implement the plan for the construction of communication channels as quickly as possible and remove all possible administrative barriers to the implementation of the agreement.

By November 2016, trilateral agreements to eliminate digital inequality were signed by 39 regions of the Russian Federation.

Funding the Digital Inequality Elimination Program in 2017-2019

Financing of the program to eliminate digital inequality in Russia in 2017-2019. may amount to 13.6 billion rubles. annually, writes in September 2016 "Interfax" with reference to the statement of the Minister of Communications and Mass Media Nikolai Nikiforov. A person close to Rostelecom knows that the company saw a figure of 13.6 billion rubles. in the draft budget, but this project has not yet been approved. This is confirmed by a source in the government.

By 2024, as part of joint work with Rostelecom to eliminate digital inequality, the ministry plans to reach the level of availability of modern communication services at the level of 97% of the population.

Complink Group of Companies built more than 600 km of fiber-optic lines in the Vladimir Region as part of the project "Eliminating digital inequality"

The Complink Group of Companies designed and built 641 km of fiber-optic lines in the Vladimir Region as part of a federal project to eliminate digital inequality (UCN), the customer of which is PJSC Rostelecom. Thanks to the work carried out, 48 settlements are provided with communication services and broadband access to the Internet.

The main communication network was built in record time - in 60 days. The fiber-optic line was laid in the ground according to the customer's requirements. The communication line carried out in this way is more reliable than that performed in suspension on supports. The line capacity was 10 Gbps. In addition to laying over 600 km of fiber-optic fiber, 48 final reinforced concrete supports were also installed in the ground in settlements, and active equipment was installed.

More than 12 mechanized columns, 12 horizontal directional drilling machines, 20 bar installations were involved in the construction.

Complink Group of Companies is a member of a consortium of contractors that, according to an agreement with PJSC Rostelecom, are the executors of the "Eliminate Digital Inequality" initiative. In total, over 2,000 km of fiber-optic communication lines will be laid in the Vladimir region, which will unite 1190 state institutions, providing opportunities for the implementation of any projects of the state program for the informatization of society.

"This project has become an unprecedented case in the speed of work in the field of fiber-optic line construction. 641km was spent in just 60 days, meaning we were building 10km a day. For comparison: usually 2-3 months are allotted for the construction of 200-300 km of fiber-optic lines. The scale of the project implemented is difficult to overestimate. It was a state order, so the period of its implementation was quite limited. Nevertheless, we completed each stage with proper quality, without shifting the date of completion of the work, "said Alexey Klimenko, Vice President of Complink Group of Companies.

Following the completion of the construction of the FOCL, residents of the most remote corners of the Vladimir region will be able to use modern communication services, including high-speed Internet access. The informatization of social facilities in the region will provide citizens with the opportunity to receive state and municipal services in electronic form.

Along with the construction of facilities in the Vladimir region, Complink Group of Companies is building wireless Internet access points in more than 500 Russian settlements in the Tver, Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Ivanovo, Ryazan, Tambov, Lipetsk, Tula, Kaluga, Smolensk, Bryansk, Oryol, Kursk and Belgorod regions (or on the territory of the Central Federal District).

The first access point within the framework of the UCN program was built by the Complink Group of Companies in 2014 in the village of Mikhailovskoye, 45 kilometers from the center of Kostroma. This project was successfully tested, so the possibility of its replication in other regions of the Russian Federation was approved at the federal level.

The Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications supported the development projects of the fiber-optic network on the basis of the electric power infrastructure in western Yakutia

The implementation of projects for the development of fiber-optic communication lines based on the electric power infrastructure will improve the quality of telecommunication services for the population of western Yakutia. This was announced in April 2016 at a meeting of the Minister of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Nikolai Nikiforov with the Minister of Communications and Information Technologies of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Alexander Borisov and Deputy General Director - Chief Engineer of Far Eastern Energy Management Company JSC Anatoly Maksimov.

During the construction of the largest power transmission line in the Far East between the cities of Chernyshevsky, Mirny, Lensk, Olekminsk and Peleduy, almost 950 km of VOK were laid in order to operate the electric power infrastructure. At the same time, the cable throughput allows telecom operators to use free optical fibers for their own needs.

"After the completion of the construction of the 220 kV Chernyshevsky-Mirny-Lensk-Peledui overhead line, we sent commercial proposals to all interested telecom operators to lease the installed optical fibers until NPS-14. In general, out of eight free cable fibers, two fibers are reserved for each operator, "said Anatoly Maksimov

.

DVEUK JSC entered into the first agreement for the provision of mounted optical fibers for use with Moscow power Communications Center OJSC (EESTELECOM trademark). This operator is engaged in the regional development of the fiber-optic network using the energy infrastructure, providing a full package of modern communication services.

Telecommunications services in western Yakutia are provided using two communication channels: satellite and radio relay. The speed of the latter in 2014 was doubled and amounted to almost one gigabit per second. This improved the situation with the quality of telecommunications services, but could not fully meet the needs of the population. At the same time, already in 2016, PJSC Rostelecom plans to complete the project of connecting the cities of Olekminsk, Lensk and Mirny to the fiber-optic line using the existing electric power infrastructure. At the end of the project, the line capacity will be 40 gigabits per second.

2015

More than one and a half thousand access points and laid about 22 thousand kilometers of fiber-optic communication lines (FOCL)

In 2015, as part of the program, 1,189 access points were put into operation and services were launched in 65 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. According to the results of 2015, more than 790 educational institutions and 506 health care organizations are located in the service area of ​ ​ access points [1]In total, in 2015, more than one and a half thousand access points were built and about 22 thousand kilometers of fiber-optic communication lines (FOCL) were laid. Over 300 transit points were also built for the construction of fiber-optic lines to settlements that run along the route of laying universal communication services lines.

As part of the elimination of the digital inequality program, access point users are provided free of charge to two thousand Internet sites, including organ sites, state power a portal of state and municipal services that MEDIA, officially publish federal and constitutional laws, acts of the chambers of the Legislative Assembly and other regulatory acts of federal executive bodies.

The Internet access service itself is provided at a social rate. Its size was approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 312 of April 2, 2015 and amounted to 45 rubles per month without restrictions on the volume of information transmitted or received at speeds up to 10 Mbps.

Also in 2015, 23 tripartite cooperation agreements were signed between the Ministry of Communications of Russia, a constituent entity of the Russian Federation and Rostelecom, which is the executor of the program to eliminate digital inequality. The agreements were signed by: Astrakhan, Vologda, Jewish Autonomous, Kostroma, Magadan, Rostov, Saratov, Tambov and Chelyabinsk regions, the Republics of Buryatia, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Karelia, Sakha (Yakutia), Tuva, Zabaykalsky, Kamchatsky, Perm, Primorsky and Stavropol Territories, as well as the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Yugra, nets and Yamalo-NEnenets autonomous okrugs.

Special projects for the development of communication services in hard-to-reach regions are an important element of the program to eliminate digital inequality. So, in 2015, the laying of an underwater fiber-optic communication line along the route Magadan - Sakhalin - Kamchatka began. In September 2015, the first stage of the project was completed: an underwater section Magadan - Sakhalin was laid with a length of about 900 kilometers. The total length of communication lines under the project will be about two thousand kilometers, the maximum throughput of the system is 400 Gbps with the possibility of expansion to 8 Tbit/s.

Rostelecom received 10 billion rubles to eliminate "digital inequality"

On March 16, 2015, it became known that Rostelecom received 10.1 billion rubles in 2014 as part of a project to eliminate digital inequality.

The funds were raised from the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), from the National Welfare Fund (NWF) and a co-investor, according to the company's annual report^[26]

According to this information, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) received 4.05 billion rubles from the National Welfare Fund (NWF) for the implementation of a project to eliminate "digital inequality" in the regions of Russia.

Elimination of "digital inequality" - a project executed in accordance with the state contract signed on May 13, 2014 between the Federal Communications Agency and OJSC Rostelecom for a period of 10 years, on the conditions for the provision of universal communication services. According to the agreement, Rostelecom will provide data transmission services at a speed of at least 10 Mbps in 13.6 thousand settlements with a population of 250 to 500 people. The company will have to build about 200 thousand new fiber-optic communication lines. According to the forecast, the amount of financial support for the provision of universal communication services in 10 years will amount to about 163 billion rubles.

Launch of the first wireless access point in the village of Mikhailovskoye

The first wireless access point was installed on February 17, 2015 in the village of Mikhailovskoye, Kostroma Region.

2014

A ten-year contract for the provision of UUS was signed with Rostelecom

The program to eliminate digital inequality was launched in 2014. Its sole executor is Rostelecom. According to the contract signed between Rostelecom and, Rossvyaz the operator must organize access points Internet at a speed of at least 10 Mbps in settlements where payphones are installed and 250-500 people live. The amount of project financing for 10 years was supposed to be about 168 billion rubles. The money should come from a universal communications services fund.

The fund of universal services is replenished at the expense of all Russian telecom operators. According to the law "On Communications," they allocate 1.2% of revenue to the universal service reserve. Funds from this fund are sent to the budget, and the state should allocate a similar amount to Rostelecom for the implementation of the project. With this money, "Rostelecom" not only builds fiber-optic communication lines and access points, but also finances the provision of universal communication services - the work of payphones and collective Internet access points.

On May 13, 2014, a ten-year contract for the provision of UUS was signed with Rostelecom. In September 2014, the Ministry of Communications of Russia and Rostelecom signed the first trilateral cooperation agreement with the Vologda Oblast. Such agreements include an accurate list of all settlements in specific constituent entities of the Russian Federation, where access points should be installed within the framework of the project to eliminate digital inequality. The first such Internet access point was established on February 17, 2015 in the village of Mikhailovskoye, Kostroma Region.

Signed N 91-FZ on amendments to the Law "On Communications"

On February 3, 2014, the President Russia Vladimir Putin signed Federal Law No. 9 "On Amendments to the Federal Law" On Communications. " It is designed to ensure the availability of communication services for people living in rural areas, and, above all, in remote and hard-to-reach areas. The elimination of digital inequality (DSP) involves the provision of a transmission service data on. Wi-Fi

2013: PVOLS of Sakhalin-Magadan-Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky: IEEE 802.3-2012 Standard of Ethernet-networks

The total length of the PVOLS will be about 2 thousand kilometers. The new line will connect the city of Okha on Sakhalin with Magadan and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. It is planned that cable laying will begin around June 2014, and all construction work will be completed by the end of the year. Residents of these regions will be able to use the fast and inexpensive Internet at the beginning of 2015. The connection speed will be approximately 10-20 Mbps per household, while today the channel capacity for the entire area is 106 Mbps. As a result, it will increase to 8 Tbit/s (80x100G).

On September 6, 2013 the Minister of Telecom and Mass Communications Russian FederatsiiNikolay Nikiforov during a working trip to Magadan held a meeting on construction of the "Sakhalin-Magadan-Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky" underwater fiber-optic communication link (UFOCL). This project is aimed at eliminating digital inequality, and, accordingly, at increasing the efficiency of government agencies, the competitiveness of small businesses and reducing the cost of mobile services for consumers. The event was also attended by the Acting Governor of the Magadan Region Vladimir Pechenyi, representatives of municipal and regional authorities, as well as the heads of Rostelecom, the only telecom operator involved in this project.

Speaking about the payback of the PVOLS project, the meeting participants touched upon the issue of building such a form of public-private partnership, when the state acts as the customer of services for providing Internet access. "Our task as representatives of the authorities is to provide assistance and support to operators. We plan to calculate the number of those government agencies and structures that could provide operators with demand for their services, the minister said. - Obviously, it can be a wide network of Russian Post, regional and municipal institutions. I am convinced that this will also contribute to improving the quality of the provision of public services, strengthening the interaction of structures and, in general, will affect the effectiveness of public administration. "

The new underwater line will connect the city of Okha on Sakhalin with Magadan and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. As a result, the maximum throughput of the system will be 8 Tbit/s (80x100G), the total length of communication lines is about 2 thousand km. It is planned to complete the work within 2 years. Fiber-optic cable will be laid along the bottom of the Sea of ​ ​ Okhotsk, which will four times reduce the path to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky compared to the ground route, which passes through deserted lands in the permafrost zone and the most difficult climatic conditions.

In March 2013, the Big Three Operators - Megafon OJSC, MTS OJSC and VimpelCom OJSC - refused to implement the previously announced joint project with Rostelecom to lay a fiber-optic communication line (VOLS) Sakhalin-Magadan-Kamchatka along the bottom of the Sea of ​ ​ Okhotsk to provide cellular services and broadband access (broadband access) to the Internet.

Earlier it was reported that VimpelCom OJSC, Megafon OJSC, MTS OJSC and Rostelecom OJSC signed an agreement of intent for the joint construction of the Sakhalin-Magadan-Kamchatka underwater fiber-optic line. The total cost of the project was estimated at 2.4 billion rubles. It was also reported that the project is included in the federal target program for the socio-economic development of the Far East and Transbaikalia. Financing of the marine part of the work was assumed at the expense of the federal budget, ground sections - at the expense of Rostelecom's own funds. In the Magadan region and in the Kamchatka Territory, broadband access and cellular services are provided using a satellite.

2012: Yakutsk

In December 2012, the city of Yakutsk was connected to high-speed communication lines, where almost 300 thousand people live.

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