Page 107 - RUSRptApr17

Currently cellular networks can cope with the growth of mobile Internet traffic, but to preserve the quality of communication, operators will have to continue to invest heavily in their network capacity, primarily into LTE technology, says Ankilov.
While the mobile operators revenues are not growing, the companies can keep increasing tariffs , say experts. An indirect increase is already happening: since the beginning of 2017 "the big three" cellular operators have, in one form or another, began to abandon unlimited tariffs plans. But despite the increases the revenue earned by these companies have only increased by 11% since the start of the year, according to AC&M Consulting, reports Vedomosti. Part of the problem is the pace of the increase in customers is reaching saturation and slowing. The number of new mobile phone users in 2016 rose by only 7.5%, says the consultancy. At the same time the network traffic is doubling every two years.
9.1.8 Tourism sector news
RussiantouristlevelstoTurkeyarebacktopre-disputelevels.A ccording to the Antalya Airport, 24,314 Russian tourists visited the report in March. This is only 2.7% less than in the pre-crisis 2014, statistics show. Antalya Airport beach resorts accounted for about 85% of the organized tourist flow from Russia to Turkey, and the rest went via the airports of Bodrum, Dalaman, Alanya and Gazipasa (the last for the Russian tourists was opened only in 2017). Antalya - the most visited of all airports on the coast, it is the largest resort in Turkey and attracts mainly family holidays, while the Aegean coast is prefered by youth.
Russian tourists are again interested in the European : the number of requests for tours to EU countries increased by 61%, analysts estimate the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR). European direction is really showing recovery in organized tourism, the average number of early bookings grew by 30%, confirms the general director of the holding "Vipservis" Dmitry Gorin. Demand for flights to Europe in March 2017 grew by 15% yoy, adds director of development OneTwoTrip Arkady Guinness.
9.1.9 Utilities sector news
Approximately 70% of installed capacity in Russia is already older than its nominal lifetime of 30 years. Capex peaked in 2016 and then fell away to allow for better dividend payments, but capex is likely to return in 2017 that will depress dividends to 25% of profits, even if some utilities paid out 50% in 2016. The sector does enjoy record-high reserve margins and analysts see no need to commission new capacity, but every seventh MW of capacity in the country is older than 50 years. VTBC estimates that the immediate need for refurbishment stands at around 23 GW – which could cost as much as $13bn alone, while full refurbishment may cost the system as much as $90bn.
Hungary could more cheaply finance the €12bn expansion of its nuclear power plant in Paks from own sources or international loans than by using the €10bn credit line offered by Russia , Janos Lazar, head of the Prime Minister's Office said. The deal is part of the intergovernmental agreement Hungary signed with Russia in January 2014 that includes harsh
107 RUSSIA Country Report April 2017 www.intellinews.com