New sanitary rules have prohibited the installation of base stations on the territory of all educational institutions, including universities. Now MTS, MegaFon, T2, and Beeline are asking Rospotrebnadzor to amend the document and make an exception for universities.
The problem is not only that it will become more difficult to get internet on campus. A university campus is thousands of students and teachers in one place, and each base station has a limit on the number of simultaneous connections. When the network is insufficient, speed drops, delays increase, and the quality of VoLTE calls deteriorates.
A base station has a limited network capacity resource, and in places of mass gatherings, the problem often lies precisely in this.
According to a source in the telecom market, the ban has already affected more than 200 universities. The Ministry of Digital Development supports the operators' initiative: without new connection points, not only can services within campuses slow down, but nearby urban development can also suffer. In some cases, the ban may serve as a basis for dismantling already operating equipment.
Operators remind that base stations undergo strict sanitary checks, and the ban, in their opinion, hinders the development of technologies and research in universities. Rospotrebnadzor has not yet lifted the restriction but stated that it is preparing clarifications – after approvals, they will be submitted for public discussion.