President Dmitry Medvedev in his state-of-the nation address said that television should be switched to digital by 2015. Digital TV gives a broader access to information (more channels will be available) and improves image and sound. However, this is an ambitious and complicated project. The program approved today by Vladimir Putin, provides for the primary digitizing of the remote regions of the Far East and Siberia which sometimes lack Russian, tele- and radio broadcasting.  Special digital TV decoders are necessary to carry out the project. They are expensive: from 80 to 200 dollars, and not all Russians can afford them. The State Duma deputy Ilya Ponomarev says  that "no country asked people to pay for TV decoders".

However the IT -expert Alexey Musienko believes that decoders will cost less by the time when digital TV is introduced.

 "As switching to digital TV will be gradual it will allow those who can afford it now to buy decoders and get a new quality of television. In the meanwhile, when the decoders will be mass-produced more people will be able to buy them".

Of Russia digitizing costs more than 76 billion rubles. The Ministry of Mass Communications sees its goal in providing equal access to information both for individuals and regions. Alexey Musienko comments:

"Our government became more people-oriented and wants to offer better services. Interactivity coming with digital TV, will allow people to interact with state institutions through their decoders. People will also be able to shop via the Internet and take part in referendums and votings. Such innovations certainly affect Russia's image making it a full-fledged participant of the world digital market".

Under the international arrangements, Russia and developed countries should switch to digital format by 2015. Experts believ no analogue TV to remain at 500 km radius from state borders for various television signals not to overlap.