In November 2010 OJSC N.W.Telecom completed the construction of the primary fibre-optic communication network (FOCN) in Vologda Oblast. The total length of the FOCN of the Vologda branch of OJSC N.W.Telecom on intraareal and local network s is 7381 km. Fibre-optic lines have been connected to each of the 477 access nodes and telephone exchanges, 37 of them in Vologda and Cherepovets, 30 in district centres and 410 in other settlement s of the region .

Thus, Vologda Oblast has become the first OJSC N.W.Telecom’s service region where the FOCN connects all telephone exchanges and nodes of access to the communication network . I.e., there are no more aerial or copper cable communication lines between telephone exchanges and access nodes even in the most remote settlement s.

The construction of the primary fibre-optic communication network from the regional centre of Vologda Oblast to district centres and to rural telephone exchanges started with the establishment of OJSC North-West Telecom (in 2002). By the end of December 2008 all district centres of Vologda Oblast had been already connected by an intraareal fibre-optic network. The amount of OJSC N.W.Telecom’s investment in the construction of the FOCN in the region exceeds two billion roubles.

Putting the primary FOCN into operation will significantly improve the quality of communication in the region and will make it possible for all residents, enterprises and organizations, including those in remote areas, to have access to the entire range of up-to-date communication services, including the broadband access to the Internet and other up-to-date services. Corporate clients having their divisions in Vologda Oblast have received an opportunity of creating their protected corporate data transmission network s on the basis of IP VPN *.

The 100% transition to the fibre-optic lines in the region is also a necessary condition for a successful implementation of the federal socially significant programs, including the creation of an electronic government, as the constructed transport infrastructure is ideal for providing government's services to the population and data transmission services to state authorities and other governmental and social organizations.

OJSC North-West Telecom is planning to implement similar projects of FOCN construction in other region s of the Northwestern Federal District during two years, which will make it possible to create perhaps the most state-of-the-art information and communication infrastructure among the federal districts of Russia.

As V. A. Akulich, CEO of OJSC N.W.Telecom, noted,   “The fact that OJSC N.W.Telecom has completed the construction of the primary fibre-optic communication network in Vologda Oblast is in its essence an unprecedented fact both for Russia and Europe . This means that the task set by the President of Russia – to provide access to broadband access to the Internet and other up-to-date telecommunication services to residents of rural areas on a par with residents of cities – has been fulfilled in Vologda Oblast. It is thanks to such large-scale projects that digital inequality is eliminated and accessibility of the Internet is improved, as well as computer literacy of the population.”

* VPN is a virtual private network (https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/VPN ) making it possible to connect remote client’s offices into a single protected corporate network with the complete range of telecommunication service s and a guarantee of service quality.

** The electronic government means a new form of organizing the activities of the state authorities, which ensures a qualitatively new standard of promptness and convenience in the governmental servicing of organizations and citizens and informing them on results of the activities of state authorities through a wide use of information and communication technologies. More information is available on the web site https://minkomsvjaz.ru/3495/3500/ .