Page "Telecommunications in Russia" Paragraph 33

Until the end of 1991 ( the end of the USSR ), the sole fixed-line telephone operator in the country was the Ministry of Communications of the USSR.

The state possessed all telecommunications structure and access networks.

In 1994, the investment communication company ( OJSC “ Sviazinvest ”) was established by the Presidential Decree # 1989 dated 10 October 1994 “ On the specific features of the state management of the electric communication network for public use in Russian Federation ”.

The authorised capital of OJSC “ Sviazinvest ” was formed by the consolidation of federal shares of joint stock companies acting in the area of electric communications and established during the privatisation of the state enterprises for electric communications.

The seven regional incumbents which make up Svyazinvest, majority-owned by the government, in early 2011 merged with the key subsidiary Rostelecom.

The move created an integrated company based on Rostelecom which will be better placed to exploit economies of scale in coming years.