According to the IT Department of Moscow Government (DIT of Moscow), the total investments of mobile operators in infrastructure in the Russian capital amounted to about 23 billion rubles (equivalent to $311 million) in 2020, which is almost a third more than in 2019. In particular, telecom companies worked on expanding zoning, space and data transfer rates; new base stations were built on the territory of Moscow and in the Moscow region. In addition, the modernisation of communication networks in the metro was completed. A stable LTE signal has appeared at all metro stations and sections.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also contributed to the growth in traffic. In 2020, in the capital, the volume of consumed mobile Internet increased by an average of 20%, the load on broadband networks - more than one and a half times. Despite the increase in load the average Internet speed in Moscow by the middle of the year increased for all mobile operators and ranged from 16 to 48.5 Mbit/s while in 2019 it varied from 15.8 to 41.9 Mbit/s.

The subscriber base of mobile operators grew by 8%, mainly due to those who connected to the network new devices for remote work and IoT devices. Also, large telecom operators began to issue virtual SIM cards.

The cost of typical services of cellular communication and home Internet remained practically the same. “Mobile Internet in Moscow is still one of the most accessible megalopolises in the world: its price is 2-4 times lower than in Barcelona, ​​London and Stockholm, and 5-10 times lower than in New York”, - representatives of DIT of Moscow clarified.

Original (in Russian)