JSC North-West Telecom’s branch Artelecom of Arkhangelsk Oblast has presented the results of operating performance for the year 2004. The receipts of the branch for 2004 made RUR 1 536. 7 million, which is 18.6 % higher than the similar period of the previous year.

In 2004 the investment of North-West Telecom in the infrastructure of communication of Arkhangelsk Oblast reached RUR 304.1 million; construction and installation activity worth of RUR 77.2 million were done and equipment worth of RUR 216.3 million was acquired and installed.      

24,832 telephone lines were put into operation in Arkhangelsk, Severodvinsk, Kotlas, N-Mar, Mirny and Plesetsk. The installed network capacity reached 380.900 lines and the network digitalization level 50%.  

In 2004 the branch Artelecom started the construction of the regional network of satellite communication channels. A central satellite communication station was installed in the city of Arkhangelsk, the ground station was renovated in N-Mar, and 2 extra digital flows were organized in the direction Arkhangelsk – Naryan-Mar via a series express satellite.  

To accelerate the development of the public access network in rural areas of the region, the Artelecom branch built to the order of the Arkhangelsk Oblast administration 6 tele-radio switches that will serve the basis for radio relay lines. The installation of the time call billing equipment has been completed on the telephone network of Arkhangelsk Oblast. 51 Moskva receiving stations have been switched over to the reception of TV programmes in the digital format.  

In 2004 the number of subscribers of the Artelecom-Internet network increased by 13.200 and reached 47.700, the total capacity of dial-up access being 840 lines. The number of ATM network ports for the connection of subscribers using the ?DSL technology is 1080. 

During the year 2004 the Artelecom branch paid much attention to subscribers servicing quality.     Starting from 1st October, dial-up access to the Internet has been opened for users of the Artelecom-Internet network in the territory of Arkhangelsk, Severodvinsk and Novodvinsk using a credit payment system and code 8-15. In December the branch made it possible for its subscribers to pay for the local communication services in advance.      

194 applications from disabled veterans and participants of the Great Patriotic War for access to the local telephone network were satisfied in the year 2004. RUR 1,164,000 were spent for these purposes from own funds of the Artelecom branch.