Russian State Companies Tripled Purchases of Landline Phones Amid Mobile Internet Shutdowns

From January to August 2026, spending by Russian state companies on landline phones more than tripled to 118 million rubles, Vedomosti reports. Market participants link the demand to mobile internet shutdowns affecting almost 80% of the country, the switch to domestic PBX systems, and the search for secure communication channels.

tafs uz editorial deskFirst published on tafs uz 14 October 2026 at 20:152 min readAI translation

The key facts

Spending by state companies on landline phones more than tripled — to 118 million rubles for January–August 2026, with the number of tenders up 12.5% (Vedomosti data).
Mobile internet shutdowns began in May 2025; in July 2025, 2,099 shutdowns were recorded — more than worldwide in the entire previous year.
Authorities justify the restrictions as protection against Ukrainian drones; experts disagree, noting that drones can fly along pre-set routes without a network.

Sharp Rise in Procurement

Russian state companies significantly increased spending on landline phone purchases in 2026. According to Vedomosti, from January to August 2026 spending more than tripled — to 118 million rubles (about 1.26 million euros) compared with the same period of 2025. The number of tenders grew by 12.5%, which, according to the outlet, indicates comprehensive procurement. Purchases are concentrated in the country's largest business and infrastructure centers.

Reasons for the Surge in Demand

Market participants told Vedomosti that demand was affected by communication restrictions, the switch of Russian agencies and companies to domestic software PBX systems after foreign vendors left the Russian market, and the search for secure communication channels. Mobile internet shutdowns have affected almost 80% of the country's territory.

Scale of the Shutdowns

Russia began systematically shutting down mobile internet in May 2025, when connectivity was lost in more than 40 regions ahead of Victory Day celebrations. Episodic shutdowns quickly became routine. According to an independent monitoring project, 655 mobile internet shutdowns were recorded in June 2025, and 2,099 in July, which, analysts estimate, exceeded the global figure for the entire previous year. The shutdowns affected banking, taxis, food delivery, and navigation, especially in rural areas.

Justification of the Restrictions and Expert Disputes

The authorities justify the shutdowns as protection against Ukrainian drones which, they claim, are guided by mobile internet signals. Experts dispute this, pointing out that drones can fly along pre-set routes without connecting to a network, and that the shutdowns cover regions far from the front line.

Statements by Officials

In March 2026, press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin 'uses landline phones,' responding to a question about the impact of restrictions in central Moscow on the work of the presidential administration. Shortly afterwards, Rostelecom head Mikhail Oseevsky advised Russians to 'return to landline phones': 'Like a fire extinguisher — it should be in every home.'

Statistics and Forecasts

According to official data, there are approximately 12.2 landline phones per 100 residents of Russia. In Moscow, about 2 million households use MGTS wired lines; nationwide there are about 17.4 million urban residential landline phones. The Ministry of Economic Development forecasts that by 2029 the figure will fall to 8.2–8.5 devices per 100 residents.