Alone in the field without communication – Newspaper Kommersant No. 213 (7414) dated 11/17/2022
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The government is considering a new version of the “road map” for the development of advanced mobile communication standards in Russia. The cost of it is estimated at 84 billion rubles, of which 52 billion rubles. will be allocated from the budget, and another 31.4 billion rubles. will be invested by the participants of the project. Their number, compared to the version of the document approved by the government in 2020, has significantly expanded: in addition to Rostec and Rostelecom, the executors included ICS Holding, Skoltech, New Telecom Solutions and other companies. Market participants consider the updated strategy more effective.
“Kommersant” got acquainted with the passport of the “road map” “Modern and promising mobile communication networks” for the period up to 2030. The document was prepared by Rostec and Rostelecom and ICS Holding in pursuance of the order of the First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Andrey Belousov dated September 24 to finalize the road map “Mobile communication networks of the fifth generation”, approved by the government in November 2020 (see “Kommersant” dated November 18, 2020).
The updated document includes a list of products highlighted in five key product lines to be developed and released by 2030.
In addition to base stations of the 4G (LTE) standard, these included stations for the 5G standard, including those using the Russian electronic component base, base stations of the 2G and 4G standards “for small settlements and corporate communication networks”, 4G / 5G based on the open architecture of OpenRAN, as well as prototype 5G Advanced and 6G equipment, as well as software for this equipment. For each product, its description and consumer characteristics, industry of application and planned readiness values in the future until 2030 are given.
The development of equipment and technologies of the 3G standard is not mentioned. A Kommersant source familiar with the situation explains that there is “no noticeable demand” for this technology and its development “does not fit into the technological vector.” “4G and 5G standards are technologically close, while 3G works on a different principle,” he clarifies. Earlier, the Ministry of Digital Development said that 3G will remain in large cities at least until 2025, and in the regions of the country – until 2027 (see “Kommersant” dated October 28).
If earlier Rostec and Rostelecom were supposed to implement the roadmap for the development of 5G, now ICS Holding has also become one of the responsible organizations.
Also listed as “other performers” are Skoltech, Bulat (owned by Rostelecom and Rostec), STC Proteus, Tele2, subordinated to the Ministry of Digital Development FSBI NIIR and LLC New Telecom Solutions (NTR) (previously included GC “I-Teco”).
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, the Ministry of Digital Development and a number of other ministries are responsible for the implementation of the road map. In total, as follows from the document, the initiative will require an investment of 84 billion rubles, of which 52 billion rubles. will be allocated from the budget, and another 31.4 billion rubles. it is planned to attract from extrabudgetary sources, including funds from the producers themselves (see table). The budget of the original version was estimated at 169.4 billion rubles, including 98.4 billion rubles. from the state.
The press service of the government told Kommersant that, in accordance with the president’s instructions, “the possibility of participation of interested organizations in agreements on the development of certain high-tech areas” is envisaged. For detailed comments, Kommersant was redirected to the Ministry of Digital Development, where they did not respond to a request. According to Kommersant, at the end of October, the ministry sent the document for approval to the government commission on digital development.
As part of the roadmap, Skoltech and NIIR will develop prototypes of equipment for 6G and conduct research on electromagnetic compatibility and security of subscribers, as well as the application of the Internet of Things (IoT) standard (see “Kommersant” dated July 26). Skoltech will separately deal with telecom equipment based on OpenRAN. STC Proteus, together with Tele2, will develop a “network core” (a set of network devices – routers, switches, as well as software), Rostec – a 4G base station, NTR and Bulat – equipment and software for the 2G and 4G standard for small settlements. About the NTR project “Kommersant” told 11th of November.
The role of ICS Holding will be to develop 2G, 4G and 5G base stations for public networks based on domestic components.
This will be done by ICS Technologies LLC (according to SPARK-Interfax, it is 100% owned by ICS Holding, registered on September 22). The entire project is estimated at 19 billion rubles, of which the company will invest 12.5 billion rubles, and 7 billion rubles. will receive from the budget within the Digital Economy national project.
The departure of foreign vendors “actually exposed the Russian telecommunications industry,” Rostec told Kommersant: “If operators maintain the current level of service and continue to expand coverage in small towns, more than 30,000 base stations a year will be required.” Under these conditions, the consolidation of all industry participants is necessary, the state corporation emphasized: “In this regard, the involvement of Russian developers and manufacturers of telecom solutions in the implementation of the road map is being considered.” The press service of ICS Holding did not rule out the possibility of participating in the project, confirming their interest in it. Skoltech is “not ready to discuss the composition of the road map.” FGBU NIIR, MTS, VimpelCom, Tele2 declined to comment. The STC “Proteus” and NTR did not answer.
The road map “was significantly rethought” after the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions, says a Kommersant source familiar with the development of the document: “Until 2022, we were not in technological isolation and had access to 5G technologies. Now, even taking into account the sanctions, the government does not abandon the idea of developing its own fifth-generation communications equipment, but the path will be different.” The performers will have to “stage-by-stage master the previous communication standards and, as it were, in an evolutionary way, come to 5G, increasing their competencies in this area,” says a Kommersant source.
He draws attention to the fact that the role of Rostec in the project has changed: “Now the state corporation needs not so much to develop solutions as to coordinate the interaction of all performers.”
Over the past year, much more problems have arisen in the implementation of the tasks set – sanctions pressure, supply restrictions, said the president of Zelax (a domestic developer of telecom equipment) Sergey Sukhman: “Therefore, attract more participants, counting on the fact that by joint efforts they will be able to overcome these difficulties ,- the right decision”. According to Sergei Sukhman, when developing a roadmap, it is worth planning measures for a strategy for overcoming the crisis in case the goals and objectives cannot be achieved.
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