Universal Access to Telecommunications Strategy and Pilot for Russia

countries: Russia
key-subject: universal access, universal service funds
client-type: government

Intelecon worked with the Government of Russia (GOR) on this World Bank funded program to develop a deployment strategy for universal access and telecommunications development. The strategy was focused on rural locations that were unlikely to attract sufficient private investment. As part of the project, Intelecon:

• conducted a sector review and assessed existing telecommunication and information services in rural areas;
• conducted a rural demand study and designed a pilot project to demonstrate the viability of the proposed UA strategy;
• supported the GOR in building consensus for the UA program with key government and non-government stakeholders; and
• developed a tender strategy and formulated the regional “POTS” for terrestrial universal access subsidy competitions.

Intelecon's recommendations have since been adopted by the Russian government.