Research and Markets announces the addition of the 2004 Telecoms in Eastern Europe Report.

Low economic development and lack of competition in Russia and the neighbouring former Soviet countries has led to poor telecommunications development. Slow progress is being made in market liberalisation and legislation reform in these areas.Fixed-line penetration is low but is not yet decreasing.Three national mobile operators now compete in Russia and mobile competition has increased markedly in both Belarus and the Ukraine.

(PRWEB) November 16, 2003 --Research and Markets announces the addition of the 2004 Telecommunications in Eastern Europe report to their offerings.

Low economic development and lack of competition in Russia and the neighbouring former Soviet countries has led to poor telecommunications development. Slow progress is being made in market liberalisation and legislation reform in these areas.Fixed-line penetration is low but is not yet decreasing.Three national mobile operators now compete in Russia and mobile competition has increased markedly in both Belarus and the Ukraine.

Telecommunications in the region reflect the poor economies and lack of competition, thus services of all types are undeveloped. Mobile communications remain the area of major telecommunications development as competition has reduced prices. With the price of computers beyond the reach of most of the population, smaller businesses and educational establishments in the region, Internet use and thus e-commerce, broadband services and even fixed lines are likely to remain undeveloped. There are however a large number of Internet Service Providers (ISP) in Russia, Moldova and Ukraine, with large numbers of providers.

The Russian fixed-line market has seen serious change in the past year with the previously 74 regional subsidiaries of fixed-line incumbent operator Svyazinvest (75% state owned) mostly consolidated into seven pan-regional operators, in which Svyazinvest has a share between 51% and 53%. There has also been rationalisation in the Russian alternative fixed-line provider market with Golden Telecom consolidating its position;

Fixed-line numbers have remained steady and have not as yet seen the large falls that have occurred in more developed Eastern European countries but it is likely that they will follow the same trend as mobile penetration increases. Wi-Fi services were launched in mid 2003 in both Moscow and St Petersburg in hotels, business centres, coffee houses and major sightseeing landmarks;

For a complete index of this report click on http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/40101

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