Assessing Telecommunication Accessibility Across Russian Regions: Trends and Disparities from 2020 to 2024

In most parts of Russia, favorable conditions for accessing telecommunication services have been established. This conclusion was drawn by the Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge (HSE) based on an analysis of regional telecommunication accessibility. The study used calculations from the Institute as well as data from the Ministry of Digital Development of Russia and Rosstat, in addition to findings from the project «Monitoring Artificial Intelligence Technologies and Digital Transformation of the Economy and Society (Wave 1),» which was part of the research activities mandated by the HSE’s state assignment.

The analysis accounted for the number of mobile and fixed broadband internet subscribers per 100 people, along with the ratio of subscription fees for communication services to the average per capita income of the population.

Regions were categorized using Ward’s hierarchical clustering method, employing the squared Euclidean distance.

According to the communication development strategy for 2035, the government aims to ensure uniform coverage of telecommunication services across all regions. Federal budget support and regulatory measures assist operators in building infrastructure even in remote areas. This is crucial for reducing digital inequality and fostering digital transformation since the internet is essential for working with big data, AI technologies, and the Internet of Things.

The internet segment of the communications sector is expanding more rapidly than traditional telephone services. Mobile access remains a key indicator of development. For fixed broadband, achieving speeds of 100 Mbps and above is becoming increasingly important for fast data exchanges.

In 2024, there were 123 mobile broadband subscribers and 18 fixed high-speed internet subscribers per 100 people in Russia. From 2020 to 2024, the average annual growth was 5.7% and 16.8%, respectively. The cost of mobile services relative to income remained stable at around 1%, while fixed internet became more affordable, with the expenditure share decreasing from 1.5% to 1%.

However, disparities exist among regions. In 2024, the number of mobile broadband subscribers differed by a factor of three, and fixed broadband by a factor of thirty. The cost of mobile services relative to income fluctuated within 2.1 percentage points, while fixed internet varied by 3.2 percentage points.

Regions have been divided into four categories based on telecommunication accessibility:

1. **Highest Level** – 15 regions, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Moscow and Leningrad Oblasts, five million-strong cities, and several high-income Arctic regions. These areas are characterized by high demand for services and low prices.

2. **High Level** – 42 regions, comprising the largest group. These regions slightly lag behind the leaders: mobile broadband subscribers are 1.3 times fewer, and fixed broadband subscribers are 1.1 times fewer. Mobile service costs are higher by 0.5 percentage points, and fixed internet costs by 0.3 percentage points.

3. **Average Level** – 22 regions, which include border areas and regions with low population density. The number of fixed internet subscribers is half compared to the second group, with smaller discrepancies in other metrics. Sometimes, these regions even have better pricing than those in the high-level category.

4. **Low Level** – 6 regions characterized by low GDP and income levels. The number of mobile subscribers is half that of the leaders, and fixed subscribers are 4.5 times fewer. Mobile service prices are higher by 1.1 percentage points, while fixed internet prices are higher by 1.6 percentage points.

According to Vasily Abashkin, the chief expert at the Center for Statistics and Monitoring of ISSEK HSE, the most conducive conditions for the development of communication services exist in regions with a high level of socio-economic development and large urban centers.