Rostelecom received less than 2.6 billion to connect TV and radio broadcasting to the Internet
Rostelecom received 7.48 billion rubles from the state. to connect RTRS facilities via FOCL in order to install LTE base stations on them serving socially significant facilities. This is 26% less than planned: it was decided to connect the remaining RTRS facilities via satellite and radio relay communication channels.
How much the authorities wanted to spend on connecting RTRS facilities to the Internet
The federal budget was supposed to spend 10.15 billion rubles. for connection by a TV and radio broadcasting facility via fiber-optic communication lines (FOCL) to create a network of wireless Internet access and delivery of television content. This follows from the federal project “Information Infrastructure” of the national program ” Digital Economy “.
We are talking about connecting the objects of the state enterprise “Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network” ( RTRS ) via FOCL. FOCL connection is necessary for the installation of fourth-generation (4G) cellular communication base stations of the LTE-450 standard at these facilities, which are used to connect socially significant objects (SZO) to the Internet .
In 2019, the Government appointed Rostelecom as the sole contractor for connecting the SZO via wireless communication channels and laying fiber optic lines to RTRS facilities. In the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, the Miranda-Media company, co-owned by Rostelecom, has been appointed as the sole contractor for the relevant work.
How much Rostelecom received from the state to connect RTRS facilities
According to the data of the Unified Information System ( EIS ) “Procurement”, in 2019-2020. The Ministry of Digital Transformation has signed two contracts with Rostelecom for the connection of RTRS facilities via FOCL. The first of them provides for the connection of 291 facilities, its amount is 2.69 billion rubles. The second contract provides for the connection of 1.67 thousand objects, its amount is 4.17 billion rubles.
In addition, two contracts were concluded with Miranda-Media for the connection of RTRS facilities in the Crimea and Sevastopol. The amount of the first of them is 543 million rubles, it provides for the connection of 27 facilities. The second contract provides for the connection of 17 facilities, its amount is 79 million rubles.
Thus, a total of 2,000 RTRS facilities should be connected under four contracts with Rostelecom. The amount of contracts is 7.48 billion rubles. This is 2.67 billion rubles. (26%) less than planned federal project ” Information Infrastructure “.
Comments of participants in the process
A source close to the project explained to CNews that the Ministry of Digital Transformation decided to curtail the further implementation of this undertaking, in connection with which Rostelecom did not receive further funding. The press service of Rostelecom stated that it had fulfilled all its obligations under these contracts.
The press service of the Ministry of Digital Transformation told CNews that RTRS really does have facilities that are connected to satellite and radio relay channels. “These are the best connection methods that take into account the geographical location of objects,” the Ministry of Digital Development noted . – The released part of the budget is directed to other activities of the federal project “Information Infrastructure”.
How and who connected socially significant objects to the Internet
The process of connecting the SZO to broadband access took place in 2019-2021. The SZO includes schools, feldsher-obstetric stations , federal and municipal authorities , territorial election commissions, divisions of the Russian Guard , police stations and fire stations.
To connect SZO via FOCL , the Ministry of Digital Transformation held auctions, during which one operator was selected for each region, connecting all socially significant objects located on its territory. Rostelecom won in half of the regions . The total amount of the relevant contracts amounted to 50 billion rubles.
It was decided to use the connection of the SZO via FOCL when the object is located at a distance of less than 5 km to the nearest telecom operator’s node connecting the SZO in the territory of this region. To connect objects located at a distance of more than 80 km from the nearest operator’s node, satellite channels should have been used.
To connect SZO, located at a distance of 5 km to 80 km to the nearest operator’s node, LTE-450 networks should be used . In most regions, frequencies in the 450 MHz band belong to the T2 Mobile mobile operator ( Tele2 trademark ), which is a subsidiary of Rostelecom . In addition, in 2019, the State Commission on Radio Frequencies ( SCRF ) additionally allocated frequencies in the 1800 MHz band to Rostelecom to connect the SZO using LTE networks .
