A recent analysis by the analyst group Spektr shows a notable expansion of services across Russian digital ecosystems by the end of 2023. The researchers found that the period of 2022 to 2023 saw operators overhaul and enrich their ecosystem offerings, with tangible gains in both scale and user engagement.
Within this broader trend, MTS stood out as a clear leader, boosting its ecosystem by about 43 percent. The growth reflected intensified efforts to diversify beyond traditional telecom services and to create a more interconnected platform for customers across multiple digital domains.
Spektr’s assessment highlights that investments have been heavily focused on entertainment and media. Olga Ziborova, the vice president for Ecosystem Development and Marketing at MTS, notes that the company’s entertainment portfolio, which includes Kion, MTS Music, Stroki, and Defender, is expanding at a robust pace. On average, revenue from these services and the number of active users rise by roughly 30 to 50 percent each year, underscoring the effectiveness of this strategic shift.
Analysts also observed a strategic push by MTS and VK to reduce reliance on foreign platforms. The motivation is clear: mitigate risks associated with sanctions and ensure more predictable service continuity for domestic customers. This move signals a broader trend toward self-reliance and localized infrastructure within the region’s digital economy.
Spektr researchers further noted that MTS has integrated the greatest number of new services into its subscription ecosystem during 2022-2023. This expansion reinforces the wider business strategy: embed more digital offerings into the core telecom framework, so the telecom segment benefits from cross-service usage and increased customer loyalty. Olga Ziborova emphasizes that today every service is tightly woven into the MTS ecosystem and strongly influences the company’s primary telecom performance.
Looking ahead, Spektr experts anticipate that ecosystem platforms will become more capable of supporting advanced language technologies. In particular, developments around large language models (LLMs) and related AI language enhancements are expected to shape how these ecosystems deliver personalized content, smarter recommendations, and more efficient user interactions. The forecast points to a future where digital ecosystems progressively integrate sophisticated AI features to improve user experience and operational efficiency.