The Russian Ministry of Digital Development proposes making it mandatory for mobile operators to share base stations in small settlements (up to 1,000 residents) where not all communication providers are present. The initiative aims to expand coverage and increase the accessibility of services without additional costs. However, experts express skepticism regarding this idea.
According to “Vedomosti,” amendments obliging operators to jointly use base stations, including along highways, will be reviewed by the State Duma in the second reading during the autumn session. The initiative will affect settlements with populations up to one thousand people, where not all operators are represented.
The Ministry emphasizes that this measure will allow operators to expand coverage and improve communication accessibility without significant expenses. It is noted that voluntary shared use of base stations has been practiced since 2014.
Sergey Efimov, General Director of the Association of Telephone Operators, comments:
Sergey Efimov criticizes the initiative, pointing to significant technical difficulties and costs associated with adapting existing stations for multiple operators. He stresses that the Ministry of Digital Development should co-finance such programs rather than shifting all expenses to operators. Efimov also insists on the necessity of developing a new comprehensive concept for the country`s communication development, as current plans until 2035 are based on outdated principles.
Should the amendments be adopted, specific lists of highways and settlements where the new rules will apply to operators will be approved by an order from the Ministry of Digital Development. Nevertheless, experts doubt a significant increase in the number of jointly used base stations.
Eldar Murtazin, leading analyst at Mobile Research Group, comments:
Eldar Murtazin also considers the proposal suboptimal. He points out that the core issue is not with the operators but with economic feasibility, high costs of connection (electricity, land allocation), and maintenance of such stations. Murtazin suggests an alternative: implementing national roaming along highways, which he believes would be more efficient than mandatory sharing. He argues that operators should be allowed to develop infrastructure independently, especially given the recent increase in communication prices, which could stimulate more active construction.
Amendments on the mandatory shared use of base stations were adopted in the first reading in June 2023. However, back in 2022, when they were first introduced, the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) expressed concerns that the bill would negatively affect competition in the telecommunications market and reduce operators` incentive to develop their own infrastructure.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth