Prospects of Mobile Services Development in Russia’s Regions

Abstract

The article aims to identify the development directions in Russia’s stagnating mobile communica? tions market, including voice and Internet traffic segments. The methodological basis of the research is theoretical propositions of regional economics; the principal method is the systematisation of empirical facts. The analysis indicates a decrease in demand for telecommunication services in Russian regions. The monitoring of resources of telecommunication services proves the necessity of separate accounting of individuals and legal entities’ consumption, because in case of the former it is necessary to account for average incomes, whereas in the latter case – for gross regional product. On the basis of statistical data of the Federal State Statistics Service and the Ministry of Communications of the Russian Federation the author examines the dynamics of the services development, including the situation with organisation of mobile access to the Internet, and introduces the indicators of mobile Internet traffic consumption and its cost. The created information base allows the researcher to distinguish between consumption of ser? vices by individuals and legal entities separately for voice and Internet traffic and determine quantitative indicators that help compare the level of inequality in different regions of the country. As a result, the paper lists Russia’s regions where it is expedient to promote the services of voice mobile communications and mobile Internet