More than half of Russia’s main fiber optic communications lines (FOCL) have exceeded the 25-year guaranteed service life mark. This is explained in the updated draft of the “Communications Industry Development Strategy to 2035” drafted by the Ministry of Digital Development.
Experts and market participants confirm that optical fibers undergo physical degradation over time: the material gradually becomes cloudy, leading to reduced throughput, deterioration of signal parameters and the risk of network outages. Analysts at J’son & Partners said that between 2020 and 2030, the country will need to replace more than 400,000 kilometers of cables, at an average cost of about 1 million rubles per kilometer, requiring huge investments.
At the same time, telecommunications companies such as MTS, MegaFon, Vimpelcom and Rostelecom said that they regularly monitor network conditions, carry out targeted upgrades, and successfully cope with the growing load through new equipment and backup routes.