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The Sviaz 2024 Forum opened as part of the conference programme of Russian Week of High Technologies 2024. The first event was the plenary session on Communications of the Future: Global Challenges and National Priorities. The event was organised by EXPOCENTRE AO together with the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media, the Russian State Duma Committee on Science and Higher Education and RBC.

The moderators were Anna Zabroda, RBC TV presenter, and Vladimir Kononov, deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federal Assembly. In his welcome speech, he noted that Russian Week of High Technologies has been gathering a huge number of companies working in this field for the seventh year in a row, and such plenary sessions are a great opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the high tech industry.

Alexandr Shoytov, Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of Russia, spoke about the Strategy for the Development of the Communications Industry until 2035. The speaker pointed out that its main objectives are to ensure national security, create conditions, maintain the country’s technological sovereignty, and support the Russian economy as a whole. He also noted that the Strategy highlights three priority areas of work: providing affordable, modern and high-quality communications services for all, creating a secure and reliable infrastructure, and introducing the most significant modern technologies.

Renat Lashin, Executive Director at the Russian Software Products Association “Russian Software”, spoke about the need for the industry to switch to Russian software products. He pointed out that leadership was achieved not by direct substitution of imported products, but by switching to competitive Russian solutions to be implemented in production. At the same time, he stressed that it is necessary to compile a list of products that have not yet been import-substituted and to provide grants to those who will undertake to fulfil these orders.

Alexandr Grigoryev, Vice President for Network Management and Regional Technical Development at VimpelCom, agreed with Renat Lashin’s opinion regarding import substitution and noted that the Mobile Communications Industrial Competence Centre was forming such a “white spot map” and is striving to fill it as soon as possible.

Vladimir Treschikov, Director General at T8, noted that now is a good time for Russian manufacturers to develop, as the market had been freed from many foreign companies, giving Russian telecom companies the opportunity to work more intensively.

Yasser Rezaha, Advisor to the Board of Directors and Vice President for Strategy at TABA Telecom Group, compared the creation of a competitive market to a game of chess. Businesses should closely watch the rival’s moves and develop the strategy based on their moves, he stressed. Yasser Rezaha also pointed out that Iranian telecom companies, which have long been accustomed to sanctions pressure, will gladly share their experience with Russian enterprises and are always ready to cooperate with them.

Dariy Khalitov, Vice President for Information Systems Development at Rostelecom, outlined the key challenge for the Russian telecom industry: to achieve full technological sovereignty.

Alexey Nazarov, Vice President and Director of the Non-Banking Services Development Department at Promsvyazbank, spoke about the development of technological areas within the bank’s perimeter, including the Tokeon DFA circulation platform and the work of the venture fund to support the ERA dual-purpose projects.

The plenary session also covered such issues as the state of the market of specialists in the Russian telecom industry, experience in implementing new solutions in the field of artificial intelligence based on Russian technologies, innovative developments in the field of telecom equipment and many others.

Press Service, EXPOCENTRE AO