Rostelecom began introducing Russian optical equipment for billions of rubles

2023: Rostelecom began introducing Russian optical equipment for billions of rubles

Rostelecom began replacing imported optical equipment with Russian. This was announced in August 2023 by the general director of RTK-Service (carried out technical work) Andrei Kononenko.

According to him, we are talking about channel-forming units that can increase the throughput of optical fibers (DWDM). Earlier, Rostelecom used Nokia and Coriant equipment in this segment, and now has begun to introduce equipment from the Russian company T8. This project will allow maintaining the operability of existing lines in the absence of Western equipment, as well as developing networks based on the Russian product, according to Rostelecom.

Rostelecom began replacing imported optical equipment with Russian

By the beginning of August 2023, the equipment was replaced only in two sections of the network - from Moscow to Udomli (in the Tver region, there is a large data processing center for Rostelecom) and from Moscow to St. Petersburg. The representative of Rostelecom clarified to Vedomosti that the project was implemented with the prospect of further application on the operator's network.

Communication networks cannot function without DWDM equipment. The development of the line depends on the number of fibers in the cable, and on the very fact of their presence - the possibility of laying new lines, explained in Rostelecom.

The replacement of foreign DWDM equipment with Russian from "T8" took place for the first time, noted in "RTK-service." The company plans to scale the solution.

A complete replacement of imported DWDM equipment is possible within eight years with the allocation of funding and the desire to switch to domestic solutions by operators, experts interviewed by the newspaper say. A new surge in large-scale modernization of operator communication networks with the mandatory use of spectral compression technology can be expected with the development of 5G networks.^[1]

2022: DWDM Software and Equipment Contract

On August 31, 2022, the Ministry of Digital Development announced that telecom companies are actively creating projects aimed at import substitution.

A framework agreement was signed between Rostelecom and the domestic developer and manufacturer of telecom equipment "T8" for the supply of software, DWDM equipment and the provision of licenses.

The contract provides for a phased increase in the share of the domestic electronic component base.

The maximum price of the framework agreement will be about 2 billion rubles. The contract is valid from the date of its signing until the end of 2026.

The contract includes obligations of T8 to increase the share of units containing microcontrollers or processors of domestic production to 30%, as well as the corresponding obligations of Rostelecom to purchase equipment. Thus, the manufacturer can be confident in future demand and finance its own developments. Moreover, Ministry of Digital Development, together with telecom operators, work has been organized within the framework of industrial competence centers for fixed, mobile and satellite communications for import substitution of telecom equipment, where one of the most important aspects is the formalization of equipment requirements and guaranteeing demand for equipment produced in accordance with these requirements by telecom operators, - said Deputy Head of the Ministry of Digital Development Dmitry Kim.

The Ministry of Digital Development supports the initiative of Rostelecom and is confident that other telecom operators will join it in the near future.

2021: Avionics Market Development Agreement

Rostelecom"" and T8"," signed a cooperation agreement aimed at developing the market for electronic products software and services communications in. RUSSIAN FEDERATION The signatures on the document were put by the senior vice president for technical infrastructure of PJSC Rostelecom Alexey Sapunov and the general director of LLC T8. Vladimir Treschikov

The parties agreed to conclude, as part of the implementation of end-to-end projects, a framework agreement for the supply of spectral sealing equipment for the DWDM fiber-optic backbone network, created on a domestic electronic component base, subject to Rostelecom receiving state support in the form of a subsidy from the federal budget for financial reimbursement of part of the costs. Namely, after the conclusion of the relevant agreement between Rostelecom and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.

In accordance with the signed agreement, the maximum price of the framework agreement will be 4 000 000 000 (four billion) rubles. including VAT.

From the funds of the subsidy received, Rostelecom undertakes to pay the company "T8" the initial payment for the revision of DWDM equipment on the domestic electronic component base, the other part of the subsidy will spend on the integration of this equipment on its communication network. Under the framework contract, DWDM equipment will be supplied and services for its installation and commissioning will be provided.

The framework agreement is valid from the date of conclusion until December 31, 2027.

The DWDM project is the first in a series of projects called 'end-to-end'. The project is science-intensive. It brings together the customer, the manufacturer of telecommunications equipment (company 'T8') and the manufacturers of the electronic component base, (company 'Elvis', as well as the Zelenograd Nanotechnology Center). As a result of the project, domestic electronic components will be used on the DWDM equipment "T8," - said Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Vasily Shpak.

State policy in the field of the digital economy involves stimulating demand for domestic electronic products. In Russia, as of June 2021, there are already analogues of foreign equipment and software that are gaining popularity in the public sector and commercial companies. This happens naturally, since all enterprises strive to ensure the security of the IT infrastructure, which is possible only with the use of domestic software and equipment. In parallel, the government is implementing state support for the IT industry. Such preferences will improve the quality and expand the line of products created by Russian developers, "said Russian Deputy Head of the Ministry of Digital Development Andrei Zarenin.

One of the acute tasks facing participants in the Russian telecommunications market is to reduce the dependence of Russian companies on foreign equipment and their manufacturers. We hope that thanks to state support, the signed agreement will make it possible to take a concrete step towards the introduction of domestic products built precisely on the Russian electronic component base, "said Alexey Sapunov, Senior Vice President for Technical Infrastructure at Rostelecom.