Cellular operators will be able to use competitors’ networks to cover villages

The Ministry of Digital Development wants to offer Russian mobile operators to share cellular networks in small towns and on highways. According to Izvestia, citing one source in the operator’s company, such a mechanism is now being discussed in the ministry. It is necessary for the implementation of socially significant projects that were suspended due to sanctions, as well as for covering federal highways with the Internet.

In practice, such an initiative looks like this: For example, an operator does not have coverage in a given locality, but a competitor does. In this case, he can use his equipment for customer service. The Ministry of Digital Development confirmed the development of a mechanism for sharing networks by operators and added that today there is a shortage of telecommunications equipment caused by disruption of supply chains.

Previously, telecom operators were required to deploy their 4G networks in 99% of settlements with a population of 500-999 people by 2028 and cover 99% of federal highways with mobile Internet by 2030. Moreover, from 2023 they had to use only Russian equipment. Installing LTE base stations in all such cities in Russia can cost 15-35 billion rubles, so now a moratorium has been imposed on such projects.

Experts believe that to implement this mechanism, one can use a scheme in which one operator works on the network of another as a virtual one or when several operators work in the same network using the same base stations. Another way could be technical roaming, which is already used during natural disasters, but there are some nuances here. In any case, such a measure is taken with a reserve for the future.

Source: Trash Box

You may also like