OREANDA-NEWS. On 06 March 2008 was announced, that within the framework of the STC’s program on digitization of its networks in 2008 the Company plans to replace all rural analog telephone exchanges in the Astrakhan region by electronic ones. At present crossbar telephone exchanges operate in 31 rural locations accounting for 12.57% of total rural TN line capacity. During the current year obsolete crossbar telephone exchanges 50/200 will be replaced by electronic ones ТОS 120. 3,400 more villagers of the Astrakhan region will be provided with high-quality communication and a wide range of services. Digitization rate of the Astrakhan rural networks makes 87.43% now.

The project becomes complicated by 746 party lines installed in hard-to-reach areas. So the specialists of the Astrakhan branch will have to lay 373 new communication lines in such areas in order to put the digital equipment into operation. Upon implementation of the project the Astrakhan region will become the first region in the Southern federal district which rural telephone network is 100%-digitized.