Megafon to Expand Connectivity Across Remote Areas of the Arkhangelsk Region
The operator and the government of the Arkhangelsk Region have signed an agreement to expand communications infrastructure across the region. The programme will run through the end of 2027.
Bridging the digital divide remains one of the key priorities in Russia’s development agenda. Given the country’s vast geography, many remote areas still lack access to high-speed connectivity. However, coordinated efforts by government authorities and telecom operators are gradually addressing the challenge.
Remote Villages, Transport Corridors, and Tourism Take Priority
Megafon and the government of the Arkhangelsk Region recently signed a cooperation agreement. The initiative calls for the deployment of communications infrastructure in small and hard-to-reach settlements, along the M-8 highway, and across key tourism destinations.
All work is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027. To improve coverage in remote locations, the operator plans to deploy compact base stations. In addition, more than a dozen new infrastructure sites will be built along the region’s main transportation corridor.
As Megafon CEO Khachatour Pombukhchan noted, the operator’s network footprint in the Arkhangelsk Region continues to expand. The company views the region as a strategic territory with significant long-term investment potential.
Investments Aligned with Regional Priorities
The parties also plan to focus on information security. Joint efforts in this area are expected to strengthen the region’s data protection framework and help it adapt to evolving cybersecurity challenges.
“Today, more than 500 of our base stations operate across Pomorye, providing connectivity to 989,000 residents and more than 700,000 tourists. Our partnership with the regional government will help align our investments with the region’s priorities and make high-quality communications services more accessible, including in remote communities,” says Khachatour Pombukhchan.
To support the region’s tourism sector, the operator’s specialists will deploy big data analytics tools. Analysis of anonymized data will help identify the strongest tourist attraction points. Infrastructure improvements will then be targeted toward those locations.
Part of a Broader Initiative
This is not the first joint project between Megafon and the Arkhangelsk regional government aimed at increasing the area's appeal to visitors. Last year, the operator brought voice services and 4G connectivity to Novodvinsk Fortress, an 18th-century cultural heritage site. The project was delivered under the Tsifrovoye Pomorye (Digital Pomorye) programme. Among the operator’s upcoming projects is the construction of a base station in Lomonosovo, the birthplace of the renowned scientist Mikhail Lomonosov. Located on an island, the village attracts large numbers of tourists every year.
Earlier still, in 2024, Megafon completed the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure in several communities across Pomorye with a combined population of approximately 8,000 residents.
Closing the Digital Divide
The agreement between Megafon and the government of the Arkhangelsk Region forms part of a broader effort to eliminate communications dead zones across Russia. One of the most significant initiatives in this area is the Ustraneniye tsifrovogo neravenstva (Eliminating the Digital Divide) programme, implemented by Rostelecom and T2. During the second phase of the project alone, from 2021 through 2025, reliable 2G and 4G mobile services were introduced to 7,881 small settlements with a combined population of approximately 1.8 million people. The programme involves the deployment of base stations connected primarily through fibre-optic networks in rural settlements with populations ranging from 100 to 1,000 residents.
Efforts to connect Russia’s remote territories will continue over the coming years, and not solely through terrestrial infrastructure. Satellite communications are expected to play an increasingly important role. Such networks can be deployed by connecting receiving terminals directly to base stations without the need to extend fibre-optic lines. Testing of these hybrid systems is scheduled to begin as early as this autumn.
