Mobile internet usage plummets in Russia amid frequent outages and price hikes

Mobile internet service in Russia is becoming increasingly unreliable, with usage dropping significantly in several regions. In Voronezh, Ivanovo, Kursk, and Krasnodar Krai, mobile internet use has fallen by more than 40% in just six months. This decline is not attributed to users abandoning the service, but rather to frequent network shutdowns.

Despite the intermittent connectivity, mobile operators proceeded to raise prices by up to 14% in July. Customers, including millions of Sberbank clients, are finding themselves unable to access their accounts during these service disruptions. This unreliability is reflected in usage statistics and traffic data, highlighting a growing problem for digital access.

The reasons for these internet outages vary by region, but the overall trend points to the war in Ukraine as a significant factor shaping daily digital life. The article suggests that drone attacks and the re-emergence of old-fashioned public telephones on street corners are part of the evolving digital landscape in Russian cities and occupied territories.

This situation underscores the broader impact of the conflict on essential services and daily routines for citizens within Russia and in territories under its control. The combination of reduced service quality and increased costs presents a challenging scenario for mobile internet users.