MTS aspires to the Sea of Okhotsk

MTS is going to redeem part of capacity in the fiber-optical communication line "Sakhalin — Magadan — Kamchatka" which builds "Rostelecom"


MTS is going to redeem part of capacity in the fiber-optical communication line (VOLS) "Sakhalin – Magadan – Kamchatka" which builds "Rostelecom".

The president of MTS Andrey Dubovskov reported about participation of JSC Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) in VOLS of "Rostelecom" at the press conference which was taking place within the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). The area manager on interaction with mass media of JSC Mobile TeleSystems Dmitry Solodovnikov confirmed that the company "is interested in the project" and conducts negotiations with "Rostelecom". "Yet we do not make comments on a detail", – Solodovnikov explained.

In turn the representative of the press service of JSC Rostelecom noted that the operator is ready "to consider offers on joint financing of the construction project of underwater VOLS "Sakhalin — Magadan — Kamchatka", however "while concrete arrangements are not present".

JSC "Megafon" also plans to participate in the project of joint construction on the terms of long-term rent of the capacity equivalent 100G. "Owing to climatic and geographical factors it is the expensive and difficult infrastructure project, to realize which it is alone economically inexpedient to any operator", – the press secretary of the company Olesya Yaremenko emphasized.

By sight her colleague from JSC Vympelcom (a trademark "Beeline") Anna Aybasheva, underwater VOLS has "huge value for development of all Far East region and Kamchatka in particular". "It is capable to increase considerably penetration of telecommunication services, – she claims. – For this reason we attach huge significance to this project and are ready to cooperation with "Rostelecom". Joint construction of VOLS will allow to reduce time and financial expenditure of each participant of process, so, considerably to accelerate start of providing new services to inhabitants of the Far East".

At the moment "Vympelcom" "attentively studies the offer" and will make the decision soon, Anna Aybasheva emphasizes.

Andrey Dubovskov added that the line of "Rostelecom" will be exclusively demanded in areas where now there is no other alternative, except satellite communication, and there will be subscribers and the income – even if other operators will not be enclosed in the project.

"Rostelecom" is going to spend more than 2,67 billion rubles for construction of the underwater fiber-optical communication line from the island of Sakhalin to Kamchatka and Magadan. The Chinese company Huawei becomes the partner of the operator.

The channel 1855 km long will be laid on a bottom of the Sea of Okhotsk and will connect Sakhalin, Magadan and Kamchatka. The maximum capacity of underwater VOLS – 8 Tbit / plans to begin with page "Rostelecom" its operation in June, 2016. According to competitive documentation of the operator, the cost of works and services in creation of underwater VOLS will make about 73,08 mln. dollars (2,5 billion rubles at the rate of the Central Bank). 264,9 more million rubles will be received by the Inline Telecom Solutions company chosen by the second contractor for construction of a small piece of land part of the channel. In "Rostelecom" expect to pay back investments within seven-nine years, but do not exclude longer payback period "because of low population density in the region".

At the beginning of December of last year the deputy director of macroregional branch "Far East" of "Rostelecom", the director of development of communication networks Pavel Bogatsky, declared that the company already finished design and exploration work by sea part of object (80x100G).

On May 14, 2012 within the international exhibition "Svyaz-Expokomm 2012" representatives of "Rostelecom" and "big three" signed the agreement of intent on construction of underwater VOLS and estimated the project at 2,4 billion rubles.



Daniil Sidorov
ComNews.ru
 No. of 27.05.14