Russian security agencies will be allowed to shut down civilian communication networks in case of a state of emergency.
This follows from the new version of the strategy for the development of the communications industry of the Russian Federation until 2030, which was developed by the Ministry of Communications, writes Kommersant with reference to the document.
It proposes to create a mechanism for joint use of radio frequency spectrum by telecom operators and security agencies. At the same time, “dynamic management” of this spectrum will be left to “special users”. Among other things, they will be able to limit the use of radio frequency bands for civilian users.
This mechanism will cover “modern and promising generations of mobile communications”. It is also envisaged to create a separate operator of technical means, which will receive frequencies intended for joint use. The Ministry of Communications did not specify who is planned to be appointed as a frequency operator.
Previously, such an initiative concerned only the development of a new communication standard – 5G. It was proposed to develop networks on the basis of a single radio frequency operator with state participation, which will receive frequencies in the “golden range” of 3.4-3.8 GHz in the “compatibility mode with special services” free of charge. Now these frequencies are occupied by equipment for the Ministry of Defense, FSO and Roscosmos.
Russia has had dual-use radio frequencies since the late 1990s, but there is no mechanism for special users to disconnect civilian networks, says Alexei Slukin, editor of the Telekomunalka Telegram channel.
“If such a mechanism is created, there is a risk of abuse of the ‘switch’ from the frequency operator. It would be logical for Roskomnadzor and its subordinate Main Radio Frequency Center to handle this”, Slukin noted.
This kind of solution may be a compromise, as telecom operators have been seeking for many years to obtain frequencies for exclusive use, but for this they need to be exempted from special consumers, says Alexei Boyko, analyst of the telegram channel abloud62.
The initiative may be the only method to allocate 5G frequencies, agrees Aleksandr Sivolobov, deputy head of the NTI Competence Center on wireless communication technologies at Skoltech. According to him, such a project can be realized in five to seven years.
Last year, the Russian authorities were developing a program that would allow to develop the 6G format, bypassing the 5G stage. For this purpose Skoltech and the Radio Research Institute (NII Radio) were supposed to allocate more than 30 billion rubles from the budget for research in the field of 6G until 2025. However, Skoltech rector Aleksandr Kuleshov said that 6G development in the country is impossible without the emergence of 5G networks.
