On December 27, 2004 the Lensviaz branch of OJSC North-West Telecom started up a digital exchange in Tikhvin based on AnyMedia multiservice access equipment by Lucent Technologies. The new exchange’s capacity is 10 thousand numbers. 

The digital exchange replaced the decadic/step-by-step exchange, the last one in Leningrad Oblast, finalizing the 100% digitization of the network in Tikhvin.

To celebrate the successful completion of Tikhvin’s network digitization, a “Digital Communication for Tikhvin People” event was held the same day. The ceremonies of the closing of the decadic exchange and opening of the digital exchange were broadcast for the celebrating audience from the Communication Center building via a video line. At the event, the results of the “Digital Technologies for the 21st Century” competition for Tikhvin’s schoolchildren for knowledge of the history of telecommunications and the Internet were summed up. Ruslan Semenenko who proved to be No. 1 was awarded an ADSL modem and a package of services; other winners got STC and Internet cards. Sponsor assistance was provided as follows: Tikhvin Seniors and Invalids Home in Shugozero village was presented a facsimile machine, an ADSL modem was given to Tikhvin District Central Hospital, and the special Type 8 (correctional) comprehensive boarding school in Tikhvin received a personal computer. With the start-up of the digital exchange, OJSC North-West Telecom has completed the program of providing telephone communication to invalids and veterans of the World War II in Tikhvin. To celebrate the completion of the program, a telephone set and a contract for telephone installation were presented to Nikolai P. Skorobogatov, an invalid of the World War II.

The celebration was attended by M. M. Mikhailichenko, Chairman, Information Policy and Telecommunications Committee of Leningrad Oblast, and A. V. Lisin, Head of Tikhvin district Municipality.

At a briefing after the event, G. B. Chernyak, Deputy General Manager for Asset management, OJSC North-West Telecom noted that the closing of the last decadic/step-by-step exchange in Leningrad Oblast was remarkable not only because the Oblast has completely got rid of telephone exchanges of that type, but rather because Tikhvin’s residents got instead an exchange based on the latest generation equipment. Quality telephone communication, high-speed access to the Internet, and a broad range of additional services are now available to Tikhvin residents.

In 2004, 2,600 telephones were installed in Tikhvin, the number of switched access Internet users reached 1,500, and dedicated line users, 48. By the end of 2004, there remained 18 applications from WWII invalids and veterans on the waiting list; with the start-up of the new exchange, the installation waiting list  for this category of subscribers in Tikhvin does not exist any more.