Today MTU Inform, the leading commercial telephone operator in Moscow, announced that for 2001-2002 its central aim will be developing a multi-service network. For the purpose of realizing this strategy, the company will see through a modernization of its own fiber-optic transport network SDH, which will allow it to be used as a wide-band multi-service network. The realization of this project will significantly simplify the problem of "the last mile" and will offer the companyÕs clients the possibility of receiving television services, reliable telephone connections, high-speed access to the internet, as well as interactive multimedia services (video on demand, for example) in one package.

MTU InformÕs fiber-optic transport network SDH is one of the best urban transport networks in Europe. It reaches the entire territory of Moscow equally and has a high carrying capacity, which allows it to deliver digital TV signals to any point in the city. The use of the network as a multi-service network will be possible by modernizing its central ring, for which the state-of-the-art equipment "HDM," produced by ECI Telecom, will be used. The equipment is currently being tested. Freed for the change over to new hardware, the resources of the fiber-optic transport network will be used for the development of the multi-service network on the periphery rings of the transport network

The company has already signed an agreement with the firm BarcoNet about the delivery of the necessary equipment: a digital central station and transformation hubs. MTU-Inform will also install the equipment for transmitting digital TV signals along the SDH network.

In comparison to traditional television broadcasting, the quality of MTU-InformÕs signal will not depend on the location of the client in Moscow. Nor will the client need to install antennas or any other kind of reception equipment on the roof of their house. Other advantages of MTU-InformÕs television service will be its ability to receive TV signals in both digital and analog form, the higher clarity of the picture (on level with DVD), and the possibility of widening the spectrum of available Russian and foreign programming. Furthermore, there are future plans to offer clients interactive media services. The company plans to offer television services, telephone lines, and high-speed access to the internet on the basis of a multi-service network at the end of summer this year. It is assumed that the