President Vladimir Putin today to discuss with the government and major operators measures for the development and support of the industry, applying for additional benefits and concessions. Operators also expect to discuss with the President the problem of development in Russia of a new generation of 5G communication for which is not enough suitable frequencies, according to sources “Kommersant”.President Vladimir Putin will chair a meeting today with the government, with the participation of the heads of mobile operators of MTS, “Megaphone”, “Vympelcom” and “Rostelecom”, told “Kommersant” source in four of the companies and confirmed by the relevant Federal official. According to them, the meeting will discuss measures of support and development of information technology and communication. Press Secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov confirmed to Kommersant that such a meeting is scheduled. According to sources, it will start at 13:00. Representatives of MTS, “Megaphone”, “Vympelcom” and “Rostelecom” have refused comments.To address this issue, according to operators, it is necessary to develop and adopt a program of conversion range, giving the new joint venture the authority to release spectrum and to secure the frequency distribution between its members on an equal basis without bidding. Also, despite the transition to digital TV, the broadcasters refuse to release one more suitable for 5G range 694-790 MHz, complain the operators. It is proposed to transfer them in the band 470-694 MHz.Among the proposed measures to support the industry, according to another source familiar with the agenda, deductions for insurance and pension contributions for employees of operators, who worked in the period of the pandemic “in the fields”, the reduction of duties on the import of communications equipment, and deployment of new test areas for 5G. Operators will also be asked to expedite the adoption of the regulation for remote identification of subscribers and Internet service providers in multifamily housing.Among the most pressing issues for the industry, according to a source, also includes a draft law on the single public broadcaster channels online, on the site of which claims to be established “National media group”, “First channel” VGTRK And “STS Media” platform “Showcase TV”.The government had previously adopted a number of measures to support the Telecom industry, which were included in the national economic recovery plan, presented by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to the President on 2 June. The General plan of economic recovery, the Prime Minister instructed to finalize by June 19, first Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov and economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov. In the presented variant included deferred for one year the requirements for operators, an increase of 15% used for storage of subscribers on the “Spring law” and the abolition of mandatory preregis��ation of radio-electronic means in connection with the renewal of licenses for the use of frequencies. Other proposals of the industry, which was the postponement of taxes on income employees and rent holidays and reduced fees frequency spectrum three times before the end of 2020, not previously supported Mr. Belousov, told “Vedomosti” on may 19. On 9 June, the Ministry nevertheless issued a draft order on reduction of fees on the portal of normative legal acts. Earlier, the Ministry of communications has rejected a proposal to postpone providing subscribers free access to socially significant resources, which the President said in his address to the Federal Assembly on 15 January.The forecast was based on the fact that the operators are almost completely gone revenues from international and domestic roaming charges, 33% sales decrease in mobile retail and has dramatically increased the cost of the network in respect of traffic growth. In “the Megaphone” and “AYR-a Telecom” have agreed with a negative Outlook, MTS predicted only slow growth, and “Rostelecom” has estimated its growth momentum during the period of quarantine as positive.Julia Silence, Angelina Galanin
