Russia admits local fiber is dead: Import ban lifted for 3 years
In a shocking turn of events that absolutely no one saw coming, the government has decided that 'domestic pride' is less important than, you know, actually having an internet connection. It turns out that when your only factory breaks, reality bites back hard.
The Russian government just issued a decree allowing the use of foreign-made fiber optics until mid-2027. This temporary suspension of domestic content requirements comes after the country’s sole manufacturer, Optic Fiber Systems, suffered a complete operational collapse following critical infrastructure damage.
Previously, manufacturers were forced to use local or Eurasian Economic Union-made fiber to stay in the 'made in Russia' club. Now, the allowance for foreign components in cable production has been hiked from 40% to a staggering 70%. Officials claim this is a 'smooth transition' toward future localization, even though the only domestic facility isn't expected to be back online until at least late 2027.
While big carriers like MegaFon, Beeline, and MTS insist they aren't facing a cable shortage, the industry is essentially running on a lifeline of Chinese imports. These suppliers have reportedly jacked up prices by up to 400% since the local manufacturing hub went dark last year.
It is truly fascinating to watch a country attempt to build an 'independent' digital infrastructure by paying a 400% markup to foreign suppliers for the privilege of keeping the lights on. Apparently, sovereignty is a great concept until the router stops blinking.
Source: Vedomosti
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