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- The network justifies the means: home Internet has become more expensive in the Russian Federation
The network justifies the means: home Internet has become more expensive in the Russian Federation
In the Russian Federation, the growth rate of tariffs for home Internet has accelerated. According to market participants, they have already increased by 10-20% in the first half of the year, depending on the region, operator and calculation method. For comparison, they grew by only 5-7% in the whole of 2025. Experts attribute the more noticeable indexing to an increase in the load on fixed networks due to mobile Internet restrictions in the spring, as well as an increase in operating costs. The Ministry of Finance reported that, together with the Federal Antimonopoly Service, they monitor the cost of telecom services and promptly carry out inspections if signs of violations in the formation of tariffs are detected. Izvestia investigated whether there would be further indexing and what factors might affect it.
How much has the cost of home Internet increased
Tariffs for home Internet in Russia in the first half of the year increased by 8-10% compared to the end of 2025, TMT Consulting reported, comparing the prices of providers at the request of Izvestia. According to Irina Yakimenko, an analyst at the company, both large operators and small regional companies have increased the cost of broadband access services. Among them, the expert cited the example of the Stavropol provider "Post.Ltd., the Rostov company Timer and the Volgograd Powernet.
— It is more difficult to estimate the exact amount of tariff increases by federal providers: they do not occur simultaneously, vary from region to region, and depend on the subscriber's contract. For example, if it connects a pay TV with BROADBAND, the total cost of services may be cheaper than if you connect only the Internet. But in general, we are talking about the same 8-10%," she said.
According to TMT Consulting's calculations, Rostelecom raised some tariffs by about 60 rubles in the first half of the year, and the largest independent Internet provider, Er-Telecom Holding, by about 100 rubles. This year, the growth rate of prices has accelerated compared to 2025, Irina Yakimenko noted. The monthly payment of a home Internet user increased by an average of 5%, she said.
The increase in tariffs for home Internet in the first half of the year accelerated to 10-12% against 5-7% in the second half of 2025, said Alkhas Mirzabekov, General Director of JSC YESK. According to him, one of the factors affecting the cost of telecom services is the load on fixed networks caused by the actions of cellular operators within the framework of security policy, as well as an increase in tariffs for access to communications from organizations that own this infrastructure.
Izvestia sent requests to regional providers. Er-Telecom and VimpelCom declined to comment.
The cost of Rostelecom's home Internet services was indexed at the beginning of the year and affected some of the archive tariffs. This is due to a change in the cost of services (the national average was about 50 rubles), the company explained to the editors.
— The FAS continuously monitors the economic feasibility of tariff increases by telecom operators for violations of antimonopoly legislation. If there are grounds, the service takes response measures," they said.
The position of the Ministry of Finance remains unchanged: any increase in cost must be justified, the agency told Izvestia. The Ministry, together with the Federal Antimonopoly Service, closely monitors prices for telecom services. If violations regarding tariff setting are suspected, an inspection is promptly carried out, they said.
— The growing number of fixed Internet users, increased data consumption and the transition to higher speeds require telecom operators to modernize their networks and increase bandwidth, which entails additional costs. But at the same time, the interests of subscribers should be taken into account, tariff plans should be flexible and take into account the capabilities of different categories of the population, the Ministry of Finance believes.
What Internet tariffs to expect next
In addition to the increase in subscription fees, some providers have begun to introduce charges for connection, which were previously provided for free, added Leonid Konik, a partner at Comnews Research.
— On average in the country, we can talk about an increase in tariffs for home Internet by 20% over the past six months. But it is important to note that in all cities there are small providers that do this much more modestly, and you can still get basic access service from them for 400-600 rubles per month," he said.
Meanwhile, half a year ago, the cost of home Internet services (at least in the European part of Russia) it was 400-500 rubles per month, the expert said. The speed for this money ranged from 100-300 Mbps, but all these figures are largely a marketing ploy, he claims. According to him, no provider in the Russian Federation guarantees the declared speed, and in any case, it can affect this parameter only in the area from the subscriber's router to the nearest distribution cabinet.
The gradual adjustment is due to a significant increase in the total cost of infrastructure ownership, MegaFon noted. Among the key factors are an increase in the cost of equipment, an increase in rental payments and electricity tariffs, as well as an increase in payroll costs, they listed.
— However, we are systematically working to optimize costs and improve operational efficiency. This makes it possible to curb the pace of indexing and minimize the impact of external factors on the final cost of services for subscribers," MegaFon says.
Oleg Yablokov, an NTI expert on wireless communications, called a combination of several factors the reason for the tariff increase. One of the key factors was the increase in demand for fixed Internet due to interruptions in mobile access. In addition, prices were affected by the change in VAT, as well as an increase in staff costs and infrastructure development.
This year, there is indeed an increased interest in home fixed Internet due to frequent restrictions on its operation by mobile operators, agrees Denis Kuskov, CEO of TelecomDaily.
— In the second half of the year, we expect additional growth of another 12-15% due to the actions of infrastructure owners. If the FAS, as the regulator of economic relations, does not pay attention to the appetites of the basic monopolies, it will not be possible to avoid tariff indexation," Alkhas Mirzabekov predicts.
Since demand has already been largely satisfied — the majority of those who want to connect to broadband — it can be assumed that in the second half of the year the price growth rate will be lower, Denis Kuskov concluded.
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