Base stations will be assembled by barrel
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Yadro received a subsidy from the government for the development of domestic base stations in the amount of 3.5 billion rubles. The company estimates the entire project at more than 25 billion rubles. and previously expected that the authorities would compensate 50%. But the Ministry of Digital Development intends to subsidize other manufacturers, including Skoltech, Bulat and Rostec, if they attract comparable extrabudgetary funding. Market participants note the risks of such projects, even taking into account state support: as long as operators can purchase foreign base stations, large-scale introduction of domestic equipment into commercial operation should not be expected.
The government sent 3.5 billion rubles. for the development of a subsystem of base stations for mobile communications of 2G / 4G / 5G standards, including using the Russian electronic component base, follows from the order signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. Subsidies from the reserve fund will be received by KNS Group LLC (computer equipment and electronics manufacturer, Yadro brand).
The document specifies that the Ministry of Digital Transformation must submit a report on the use of funds to the government by the end of March 2024. The Ministry of Kommersant explained that the funds are allocated within the framework of the federal project “Digital Technologies” of the national program “Digital Economy of the Russian Federation”: “It is planned to allocate subsidies to other developers in the presence of extra-budgetary funding in a total amount not less than the amount of funds provided by the federal budget.”
Yadro noted that in December 2022, forward contracts were concluded with telecom operators for the supply of equipment: “Now we are developing, in 2025 we are planning the first deliveries.” In May, at the CIPR conference, Yadro CEO Alexei Shelobkov estimated the cost of developing domestic base stations under forward contracts at more than 25 billion rubles. According to him, 50% of the cost will be subsidies. Last fall, Yadro estimated the entire project at 19 billion rubles, of which it itself will invest 12.5 billion rubles, and 7 billion rubles. will receive from the budget (see Kommersant dated November 17, 2022).
Other developers of telecom equipment listed in the roadmap also include Skoltech (developing 4G and 5G base stations based on OpenRAN), STC Proteus (together with Tele2 will develop the “network core”), Rostec – creates a 4G base station, New Telecom Solutions and Bulat LLC (owned by Rostelecom and Rostec) – equipment and software for the 2G and 4G standard for small towns. Director for Strategic Development of Rostelecom Alesya Mamchur estimated the cost of projects at 30 billion rubles. The company declined to comment.
Alexander Sivolobov, Deputy Head of the Skoltech-based NTI Competence Center for Wireless Communications and the Internet of Things, says that they are also counting on subsidies, “although the volume of the request is many times less.” “We expect that the issue will be resolved within a month or a month and a half,” he specified. As Mr. Sivolobov explained, the allocated amount of subsidies is intended to finance part of the work planned for 2023 and can be adjusted. He added that Skoltech had already tested the equipment with operators.
MegaFon reported on the testing of Yadro base stations. VimpelCom planned to test Russian equipment in the autumn, the manufacturer was not disclosed. According to Vedomosti, the operator signed a contract with Yadro. The cost of the contract between NTC Protey LLC and Tele2 for the creation of software for the core of the mobile network is 2 billion rubles, said Vladimir Freinkman, vice president of the company. MTS, according to a Kommersant source, did not sign a contract with Yadro and plans to develop its own equipment. MTS, Vimpelcom and Tele2 declined to comment.
An interlocutor of Kommersant among technology developers says that the rise in price of the Yadro project and other manufacturers could be the result of sanctions (the United States included KNS Group LLC and ICS Holding, which owns it, as well as Skoltech, in the SDN list in February): “ The transfer of technologies is becoming more complicated, the risks for operators are growing.” Probably, another Kommersant source adds, manufacturers expect that by 2025 the situation may change, or “all telecom operators will fall under sanctions.”
At the same time, the interlocutor in one of the largest operators warns that “the transition to domestic equipment is far from a priority task for companies.” “There are no base stations that can fully replace foreign ones, and by 2025 there will be only test samples that can hardly be used on a commercial network,” he explains.
Also, the Kommersant source notes, operators retain a number of obligations to the state, for example, to cover remote settlements, so they continue to purchase foreign solutions through extended supply chains, even with the risk of disconnection – not a single distributor now guarantees the availability of licenses: “For of domestic vendors in such a situation, it is risky to invest serious funds in development even with government subsidies.
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