Rostelecom completes the first stage of its Digital Education project

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Moscow, Russia – January 19, 2022 – Rostelecom PJSC (MOEX - RTS: RTKM, RTKMP; OTCQX: ROSYY), Russia’s largest integrated digital company, today announces the results of the first completed stage of its Digital Education project. Rostelecom has organised wireless broadband Internet access (Wi-Fi) and video surveillance systems in 2,134 educational institutions across 16 regions in Russia. The company is building digital infrastructure in schools as part of the creation the "Digital Economy of the Russian Federation" programme. In total, by the end of 2022, intra-school ICT infrastructure will appear in 8,330 educational institutions.

The “Digital Education” programme provides schools with wireless internet, equips premises with video surveillance systems with an analytics function and data centre resources. To provide equal access to quality education, regardless of their location, all students are provided with access to the digital educational platform, along with its content and services. Digital infrastructure in schools across the programme’s participating regions is either being upgraded or created. Video surveillance systems monitor the entrances of school buildings to ensure high level security of premises. Children are themselves not identified and video recording from cameras are sent to special servers installed in buildings belonging to educational institutions. Access to video recordings is privileged and only provided to customers, with data stored for one month.

Kirill Shishkin, Director of Rostelecom’s National Program Project Office:
“Providing schools with modern equipment that improves student safety, and high-end digital services and educational content is an important task for Rostelecom. We facilitate access to electronic libraries, educational sites and services to expand and deepen students’ knowledge. If necessary, children will be able to virtually attend classes and connect to various educational programmes. Today, school ICT infrastructure, built domestically, is ready for use in 2,134 schools in participating regions to create a quality digital educational environment. By the end of 2022, more 8,300 schools will have access to this infrastructure.”

The project is being implemented in educational institutions across 16 Russian Federation regions: Altai and Perm, Astrakhan, Kaliningrad, Kaluga, Kemerovo, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Sakhalin, Tula, Tyumen and Chelyabinsk regions, as well as the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. The programme provides a data transfer rate of at least 100 Mbps in urban schools and at least 50 Mbps in small towns. In the future, the intention is to roll out the programme throughout the Russian Federation.

Rostelecom was appointed the sole contractor for the formation of a sustainable ICT infrastructure in educational institutions, in accordance with Russian Federation Government order No. 713-r dated March 22, 2021. Work under the state contract will last until 31 December 2022.