The draft strategy for developing the communications sector for 2024-2035 outlines ambitious goals for Russia’s broadband landscape. By 2035, the intention is for 98% of cable Internet users to access speeds exceeding 1 Gbps, a milestone that would transform how households and small businesses connect, stream, and work online. The document frames this as part of a broader effort to modernize digital infrastructure and ensure that high-speed access becomes a standard offering across the country. A key driver is to align national connectivity with the growing demand for bandwidth-intensive services and to support a more resilient digital economy.
Additionally, the strategy sets a target for 2030: nearly every household in towns and cities with populations over 10,000 should have 1 Gb/s internet capability. This emphasis on urbanized areas reflects the role of dense settlements as accelerators of digital adoption, while still aiming to extend robust service to more rural regions through targeted investments and policy measures. The plan highlights the importance of universal access in population centers as a foundation for broader nationwide coverage and digital inclusion.
In June 2023, it was announced that the draft strategy would be presented to the Russian Prime Minister for defense considerations, with subsequent reviews to interpret possible implications before presenting the document to the president. The process signals a formal, high-level review pathway, ensuring that strategic choices around funding, coordination among operators, and regulatory steps are aligned with national security, economic goals, and long-term digital resilience. Stakeholders expect a rigorous examination of how to balance investment incentives with fiscal prudence during implementation.
The document indicates that operators could receive incentives to share the cost burden of expanding networks. Specific measures under discussion include a potential doubling of the value-added tax for providers to 10% and adjustments to insurance premium contributions to 7.6%. Such fiscal considerations are presented as levers to encourage rapid deployment while maintaining a sustainable financing framework for ongoing maintenance and upgrade cycles. Industry observers note that incentives would need to be carefully structured to avoid unintended market distortions and to ensure tangible consumer benefits reach end users.
Maksut Shadayev, Russia’s Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media, indicated in an April statement that mobile traffic in the country rose by about 20% in 2022. This trend underscores the growing reliance on mobile networks to access online services, foster education and remote work, and support emergency communications. The data point reinforces the rationale for expanding not only fixed broadband but also mobile connectivity as part of a comprehensive digital strategy. Authorities are likely to weigh improvements in spectrum management, network sharing, and investment in next-generation wireless infrastructure as components of achieving the 2035 speed targets. The overarching aim is to create a coherent ecosystem where fixed and mobile networks complement each other to deliver reliable, high-speed access across diverse geographies.