Russia to boost radio control in border areas amid difficult int'l situation - Roskomnadzor
MOSCOW. April 16 (Interfax) - Alexander Zharov, head of Russian telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor, has given the General Radio Frequency Center (GRFC) until October 1 to boost radio control along the Russian border.
"And one more task: amidst the difficult international situation, comprehensive radio control must be maintained in border areas," Zharov said at an expanded meeting of the Roskomnadzor board on Tuesday.
"I am setting the task for the GRFC of elaborating a method and technically ensuring due radio control, marking this out as a distinct sector of operations, before October 1," he said.
Later on Tuesday, Zharov clarified to journalists that border areas are not monitored with the same frequency at different times of the year.
"Border areas are not subject to permanent radio control during all periods, and I think that the present needs are such that we now need to be able to see the electromagnetic situation, including broadcasting from neighboring territories, 100% of time," he said.
Zharov said he had realized this during business trips to his agency's territorial branches located in border areas.
"I got to realize that in winter and in muddy conditions not all border segments can be monitored from the existing stationary checkpoints and it is not always so that they are accessible by wheeled vehicles due to the nature of the terrain and weather conditions," he said.
This task "apparently requires an innovative and creative approach," he said.
"I don't want to fantasize about whether colleagues will be using drones. They say it is rather costly but effective. [...] I have articulated the date and will expect proposals. Then I will analyze it together with my colleagues from relevant departments, but this work will certainly be organized in 2019," Zharov said.