Irteya, Mikron Sign Key Telecom Chip Deal in Russia

Major Contract Signed: Irteya and Mikron Lead Russia’s Telecom Chip Revolution

Russian telecom equipment producer Irteya has partnered with chip developer Mikron to sign a groundbreaking three-year forward contract valued at 400 million rubles. This pivotal deal involves the supply of ten types of microchips crucial for base station deployment, as reported by Vedomosti. The contract, incredibly significant for the Russian telecom sector, locks in pricing for future deliveries, offering financial predictability in a time of global supply chain uncertainties.

Breaking New Ground in Domestic Production

The collaboration marks the first instance of Russian base station manufacturers securing forward contracts with component suppliers. Previously, leading telecom operators, including Tele2, Beeline, Megafon, and MTS, had inked contracts to obtain 75,000 base stations by 2030, valued at over 100 billion rubles. However, these did not initially extend to base station component providers.

Strategic Chip Replacement and Production Goals

Dimitry Lakontsev, CEO of Irteya, emphasizes the strategic importance of replacing foreign chips with domestically produced ones. The new chips are designed to manage power, stabilize signals, and enhance antenna control. Lakontsev anticipates deploying these components into products by 2027.

This year, Irteya aims to release prototype base stations with the new chips, initiating testing in the next year. Furthermore, Irteya plans multiple forward contracts with other Russian microelectronics producers, a move poised to strengthen local manufacturing capabilities.

Looking Ahead: Unifying the Market

Gulnara Khasyanova, CEO of Mikron, highlights the nascent stage of Russia’s electronic component base (ECB) industry, urging broader adoption of forward contracts to achieve market unification and cost efficiency. This sentiment is echoed by GS Group, which expresses readiness to supply both established and pioneering technologies.

Independent analyst Alexei Boyko forecasts that other domestic tech firms, like KNS Group, will likely embrace forward contracts to further energize the telecom component market. With potential contributions from firms like Silovoy Klyuch and others, the future of Russia’s telecom tech appears robust and promising.