Synopsis
Broadband now dominates Russia’s Internet market, as incumbent and alternative telecom operators deploy broadband infrastructure as part of a general trend of migrating beyond voice-centric offerings to voice, broadband and convergence services. The poor quality or lack of existing infrastructure has resulted in a variety of technology platforms used to offer broadband, including xDSL, cable and FttH/FttB. Wireless solutions such as WiFi and WiMAX have garnered much interest, with alternative operators rapidly deploying networks in a number of regional cities to build up subscriber numbers while fixed-line broadband subscriber levels are still low. Broadband diffusion is providing the basis on which a promising Internet society is emerging, with much potential for future commercial, government and social services. This report offers a concise overview of Russia’s rapidly developing broadband market, providing an overview of major players, technology platforms, statistics and broadband subscriber forecasts to 2019.