Telecoms exhibition shows off new modernization technology

President Medvedev's call to modernize the economy is showing results with local innovations putting high-tech power into the hands of the people, and opening up new business opportunities.

Living standards in the 21st century depend on the level of IT penetration. Visitors to the telecoms exhibition in Moscow could see how that future is being built. Efrem Kozlov from the Moscow City Wire Broadcasting Network displayed a multipurpose device designed for every home.

“For a monthly payment of just over one dollar a month all Muscovites by the year of 2015 will enjoy this multifunctional device dubbed the Social Socket. It has an automatic loudspeaker informing you about emergencies and an alert button. It will provide free access to over one thousand socially important websites, federal TV channels and radio. The project is expected to be multiplied across the nation.”

Over ten thousand lives are lost to fire each year in Russia – the speed at which services are alerted is key to saving them.

Given the size of Russia, it’s easy to see what makes this project a juicy business opportunity.

Mikhail Palychev, Development Director at New Systems Telecom, says safety, particularly with mine workers, is the most important factor.

“First of all this is the safety of personnel by using the wireless communications to provide remote control over the mining equipment and some other machinery that is used in mining. And secondly is the necessity to provide all safety communications to personnel including the immediate identification of the personnel location by using the wireless communications coverage of all the mining area. Besides, it’s the necessity to provide the remote and full-blown television signal from the video cameras installed in the mines.”

With the spread of cellular phones – Russians seem to have lost interest in street phones. Installing public phones with cameras could change that, says Roman Oborin of Intellectual Systems and Technologies

“Video phones could replace the 140,000 thousand street phones in use across the country. The cost of each device will rise not more than 15 percent. You will have to pay about 30 cents per minute to make a long-distance call.”

Bringing hi-tech technologies closer to the people will not only boost social progress and create a niche for private investment – but help the economy shift away from reliance on oil and gas.