On the 24th of March 2006 a meeting of the tender commission took place to determine the winners of the open tender No. 45 for the right of providing universal telephone communication services using payphones in Arkhangelsk Oblast and tender No. 51 for the right of providing universal telephone communication services using payphones in Kaliningrad Oblast.

The commission included representatives of the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communication of Russia, the Federal Communication Agency, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Russia, specialized committees of the State Duma and Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the Expert Board of the RF President.

Results of the tender for Arkhangelsk Oblast:

JSC North-West Telecom was recognized the winner in all 13 lots of the competition.

According to the terms of the tender, the Arkhangelsk branch of JSC NWT will install 2874 universal payphones in 2851 settlements of the region for 1 year from the date of making the agreement between the Federal Communication Agency and the company. To implement the project, North-West Telecom is planning to invest RUR 536 million. The maximum amount of the annual indemnity for losses inflicted by the provision of universal communication services from the universal servicing reserve funds will make RUR 401 million for all 13 lots. 

No later than six months from the date of making the agreement, the universal servicing operator – JSC North-West Telecom – must start providing universal telephone communication services using payphones (put into operation at least one payphone in the territory of the tender) at rates that have been established as RUR 0.4 per minute of local telephone connection. 

Results of the tender for Kaliningrad Oblast:

JSC North-West Telecom was recognized the winner in all 3 lots of the competition.

According to the terms of the tender, the Kaliningrad branch of JSC NWT will install 572 payphones in 559 settlements of Kaliningrad Oblast for 1 year from the date of making the agreement between the Federal Communication Agency and the company. To implement the project, North-West Telecom is planning to invest RUR 60 million. The maximum amount of the annual indemnity for losses inflicted by the provision of universal communication services from the universal servicing reserve funds will make RUR 52.6 million for all 3 lots. 

No later than six months from the date of making the agreement, the universal servicing operator – North-West Telecom – must start providing universal telephone communication services using payphones (put into operation at least one payphone in the territory of the tender) at rates that have been established as RUR 0.34 per minute of local telephone connection. 

The period of the agreements on the terms of providing universal telephone communication services in both regions is 5 years.

At the moment specialists of JSC NWT's branches are considering technical solutions of connecting payphones for each settlement.

The Chief Executive officer of JSC NWT commented on this event as follows:  "By today, 90% of the problems of telephones installation and provision of telecommunication services to the population have been practically solved in the Northwestern Federal District, which is the region serviced by JSC NWT. However, there are  hard-to-reach settlements, in which it is technically difficult, expensive and economically unadvisable to install telephones. The institute of universal communication service, that has been especially created to resolve the problem of installing telephones in complicated areas and to ensure access to information communication lines for each citizen of Russia is extremely well-timed and reasonable solution of this problem and a manifestation of the state's care of its citizens".