The Russian Ministry of Communications has announced a tender for subsidy for the deployment of a fibre-optic backbone line to the Chukotka region. The line would connect the region to the single federal telecommunications network.
A sub-sea fibre cable connecting the city of Petropavlovsk in the Kamchatka region and the town of Anadyr in Chukotka is planned, as part of the federal Digital Economy programme.
Chukotka is the only region across the country which isn't connected to fixed internet services. Internet services over satellite links only are available there. The services are expensive, and fibre lines would enable lower rates and foster development of the region.
The 2,220-km cable would include 2,210 km underwater. The capacity of the line will be at least 100 Gbps and a maximum 8 Tbps. The sub-sea section should include at least four optical fibres, and at least 24 fibres should be available in the terrestrial section.
Annual threshold for subsidies under the project totals RUB 234 million this year; RUB 500 million in 2020; RUB 4.010 billion in 2021; RUB 2.184 billion in 2022.
