Increased e-Access at Russian Post
Moscow, 5 September: Russia’s Communications and IT Ministry expects to increase the number of public-access Internet outlets at Russian post offices to 15,000 by the end of 2003, First Deputy Minister Aleksandr Kiselev said at a press conference on Thursday [5 September].
Currently, 2,200 Internet outlets are available in post offices across Russia, he said.
The ministry hopes the federal government will invest R600m [just under 19.6m dollars at the current exchange rate] in the project, Kiselev added. Each outlet costs 1,500-1,700 dollars to set up.
The Federal Postal Service invested R42m in setting up Internet outlets last year. This year, the project is expected to require at least R12-15m.
There are about 40,000 post offices in Russia, Kiselev said.
If the project gets funded, the contract for providing Internet service to the outlets will be determined on a competitive basis, Kiselev noted.
The number of regular Internet users in Russia is projected to climb to 8m this year, from 4.3m as of the end of 2001.
