The number of mobile phones in Russia nearly doubled, therefore, according to the Minister, nearly half of Russians have cellular phones today.
The number of fixed phone users increased by 5 million, which made it possible to reduce the queue for telephone installation substantially, modernize the network and improve service quality, Reiman pointed out. According to him, by the end of the year some 13 per cent of Russians have been using the Internet, in comparison with 8 per cent at its beginning.
2004 was a very important year for the IT sector, Reiman emphasized, especially as far as the elaboration of long-term programs was concerned. Among other things, concepts were elaborated that would make it possible to expand the IT market up to $40 billion by 2010, with software export amounting to some 10 per cent of this figure.
"This is a very important factor of Russia's participation in the international division of labor," the Minister emphasized.
