Domestic demand for IT could be boosted by explaining to the public how they could benefit from such technologies, said Oleg Byakhov, who heads the IT & Communications Ministry's Department of Information Society Building Strategies.
Alexander Torshin, Vice Chair of the Federation Council, parliament's upper house, stressed the need for enabling legislation to boost the development of Russia's IT sector.
"We have to concede that parliament has not yet come up with any inspirational law that would let companies operating in the sector to enjoy priorities, privileges or support."
Torshin said his parliamentary chamber would now be paying a lot of attention to the development of Russia's IT sector.
"I think a special unit will be formed within the Federation Club's senator club shortly in order to extend our capacities, since these technologies require utmost professionalism," he said.
He also suggested that the next panel discussion on IT legislation be held on the Federation Council's premises and that regional officials be invited to have their say on the issue.
Hector Ruiz, chief executive of the leading U.S. microchip maker AMD, said his company was committed to supporting educational and scientific projects in Russia. Among other things, it will be providing Russian research institutes with computers and sponsoring IT projects run by regional authorities, he announced. He also said that support for Russian projects would be offered as part of the 50x15 campaign, aimed at providing half the Earth's population with computers and Internet access at affordable prices by the year 2015.
IT & Communications Minister Leonid Reiman said earlier that one in every eight Russian residents had Internet access in 2004. This figure was higher for urban communities, he said. In Moscow, every other resident used the Internet. The number of personal computers increased by 15% to 15 million last year, while the number of Internet users went up 51%, to 18 million, he said.
