The Ministry of Digital Development may determine a minimum contribution to telecom operators in the amount of 500 thousand rubles. As of today, the operators transfer 2% of their income to the reserve of the universal service.
The reserve is used to develop communication infrastructure and to connect small settlements to the Internet, including those whose population is between 100 and 500 people.
The changes are being considered as part of a larger reform in operator licensing, which allows the introduction of three types of licenses worth 1 million, 10 million and 50 million rubles, depending on the scope of the company's activity.
However, representatives of small providers are already warning that a fixed minimum payment could become a serious financial burden for regional companies and lead to a rate increase or the withdrawal of some operators from the market.