Internet and society: The development of broadband services in Russia and the world discussed in New York

Minister of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Nikolai Nikiforov took part in the 12th meeting of the joint commission of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations (UNESCO) for broadband access (BBA) for Digital Development and presented a report on the progress of the development of broadband services in Russia.

Following the meeting, the Commission formulated 17 objectives of sustainable development over the next 15 years, which will be carried out by UN member states and the international community as a whole. Tasks involve increasing the availability of broadband services for the promotion of education, health and employment. According to the Commission, the penetration of broadband services wire in developed countries is close to saturation and is 81.3% of connected households. At the same time the number of connected households in developing countries has increased over the year from 31.5% to 34.1%. The level of penetration of wired broadband access in Russia, according to official statistics, at the end of 2014 was 58%. Average target UN level wired broadband penetration in the world for 2015 is 40%. 

"Our strategic goal of the ICT is coincided with the objectives of sustainable development set by the United Nations, and Russia very successfully executes its own plan for increasing the availability of broadband access services, - said Nikolai Nikiforov work of the commission. - At the same time one can not discount the territory of our country, its geographic and climatic conditions. Despite this, Russian mobile access to broadband services is one of the cheapest in the world".