MegaFon CEO Khachatur Pombukhchan stated that a slowdown in mobile data traffic growth will not lead to a reduction in capital expenditures. The company plans to continue increasing its annual investments in network development, equipment modernization, and the pursuit of technological sovereignty.
The transition to domestic hardware and the replacement of Western equipment impose additional financial burdens on operators. While Russian manufacturers have accelerated their development cycles, the new equipment remains more expensive than international alternatives and occasionally requires further improvements in reliability.
Pombukhchan noted that operators face limited options to offset rising costs due to intense market competition and consumer expectations for low prices. He warned that the industry must eventually choose between a decline in service quality or an increase in subscription costs for subscribers.