State companies own almost ten thousand kilometers of optical cables and other telecommunications equipment. Of those capacities, only 10 to 15 percent are used, and by combining them, a respectable company would be created, which, by issuing that infrastructure, as well as new services, would generate significantly higher revenues than now, while the public sector would have significant savings," he said. News" interlocutor involved in the analysis of the establishment of the state telecommunications company and its future activities.
He said that this new company would not be a classic telecommunications - telephone operator for the time being, but would deal with the issuance of transmission capacities, new services such as "smart house", online ordering and monitoring of services of state companies, provision of special services to the public sector, education and healthcare, that is, to have unlimited development opportunities.
Thousands of kilometers of optics
The Montenegrin Electric Distribution System (CEDIS) has 5.500 kilometers of telecommunication optical cables, the Montenegrin Electrotransmission System (CGES), Railway Infrastructure, Electric Industry (EPCG), Regional Waterworks, Radio Broadcasting Center, Monteput... these state companies have in recent years have invested tens of millions of euros in the construction of these networks, and they use them for their own needs and only partially for commercial distribution to others.
CEDIS told "Vijesta" that 19 million euros have been invested in their telecommunications network in recent years, that they use it for the management and supervision of the electricity distribution network, and that in the past three years they have earned 333 thousand euros from its issuance to telecommunications companies. . The railway infrastructure has laid several optical cables along the line from Bar to the border with Serbia and from Podgorica to Nikšić, and from their issuance to other companies in three years, it earned 1,6 million euros. CGES has fiber optic cables along all transmission transmission lines, connections with neighboring countries, but also with Italy via submarine cable...
State companies that combine telecommunications capacities also exist in European Union countries, and, as announced, Montenegro would use a concept similar to that in Slovenia.
Some of the possible services would be the so-called "smart house", because optical cables are located to all households that have meters for remote reading. This would mean that the user can see his consumption at any time, how he can reduce it, which devices are on and can turn them off at any time through the application on his phone.
The government formed a commission that analyzes the plan for the unification and use of similar international experiences, which includes representatives of state companies.
Millions invested, not used enough
CEDIS and Railway Infrastructure (ŽICG) told "Vijesta" that the development of this idea is only in the initial phase.
"Considering that this is a completely new initiative, which refers to the unification of the telecommunications infrastructure owned by state companies into a new state telecommunications company, CEDIS will, after considering all possibilities and considering the factual situation, announce its position regarding that initiative", they said from this company.
ŽICG stated that they have just appointed their representative to the group that is working on this idea, which is why they do not have all the necessary data related to the establishment of this company for the time being.
"Certainly, aware of the fact that the field of telecommunications is extremely profitable, we believe that it could be a good move. Accordingly, ŽICG has appointed a representative who will actively cooperate with the representatives of all state companies, which also own insufficiently valorized optical fibers", the company stated.
CEDIS, they said, owns more than 5.500 kilometers of aerial optical infrastructure built through OPGW and ADSS, namely 550 km of OPGW optical infrastructure installed on 35kV transmission lines and about 5.000 km of ADSS optical infrastructure on 0.4kV low-voltage network.
"In the part of OPGW optics, CEDIS owns capacities of 24 optical fibers on all sections. In the ADSS optics part, cables of various capacities were used depending on the needs and the statics of the poles, and the capacities owned by CEDIS vary from six to 72 optical fibers on different sections", the company stated.
CEDIS has part of the network with M:tel
The construction of this optical network began in mid-2015 at the time of the unified Elektroprivreda with the signing of an agreement between EPCG and Mtela, and its construction continues today.
"The agreement defines that EPCG's investment consists in providing infrastructure (overhead lines), i.e. granting the right to use EPCG's overhead power distribution infrastructure for the purposes of running OPGW/ADSS fiber as well as professional supervision of optical fiber assembly, while M:tel's investment consists in the preparation of project documentation, procurement of optical fibers and accompanying equipment, installation and professional supervision. With this agreement, EPCG and M:tel have agreed that after the installation of the optical fibers, they will divide the volume 50 to 50 percent", they stated from CEDIS.
After this company was separated from EPCG in 2016, they assumed all rights and obligations under the agreement with M:tel. As they stated, the total assets of the optical infrastructure found in the financial books of CEDIS were estimated at 19 million euros of purchase value.
"In order to improve its own corporate telecommunications network, CEDIS has already canceled the rental of telecommunication services to operators in a certain number of locations to which it connected its own optical infrastructure and established communication through its own optical infrastructure. CEDIS optical resources are used by CGES for the needs of its own SCADA system, i.e. of remote control, while the Radio Broadcasting Center uses them for connection to repeater stations. CEDIS also leases its optical infrastructure to telecommunication operators in Montenegro. For the year 2022, the income from the issuance of optical infrastructure amounted to EUR 102.184,07, while the income on the same basis for the period 2019-2022. amounted to 333.066,49 euros", it was stated from this company.
In the future, as they announced, CEDIS plans to use the built optical infrastructure for remote control of the elements of the distribution system through the implementation of the SCADA/ADMS project, which should improve the reliability of power supply as well as the quality of electricity delivery.
Telekom built for ŽICG
The railway infrastructure owns a total of 100 optical fibers - 76 on the Vrbnica (border with Serbia) - Bar and 24 optical fibers on the Nikšić - Podgorica section.
"Optical fibers on the Nikšić - Podgorica railway line are used not only for the monitoring and management of railway traffic, but also for the transmission of telephone traffic. Through optical fibers on the Vrbnica - Bar railway line, it is possible to use more advanced technologies for traffic regulation on this route and their length is 168 kilometers", they stated from ŽICG, emphasizing that the capacities are much greater than the scope of use.
The laying of optical cables began in 2000 in cooperation with Montenegrin Telecom on the route Vrbnica - Bar, and ŽICG received four fibers in return for laying the cable along the route owned by ŽICG. In 2012, together with M:tel, they laid a cable of 144 fibers on the section Bijelo Polje - Bar, of which they received 72, and in the same year they independently laid a cable along the railway from Podgorica to Nikšić with 24 fibers.
"ŽICG uses optical fibers to the greatest extent for its own needs, while a part is rented out. In all stations, intersections, traction plants and road crossings, an optical cable has been introduced, which is used for the transmission of Internet traffic, as well as for voice services, information transmission services, and video surveillance.
All previous investments were aimed at digitalizing access telecommunication network equipment and enabling more functional use of modern telecommunication services, all with the aim of safe and smooth running of railway traffic", said ŽICG.
A study from 2014 showed justification, but it is not known where it is
In 2014, the government planned the establishment of a state telecommunications company, three commissions were even established and a justification study was ordered, on which domestic and foreign experts worked for a year and were paid.
As it was announced at the time, the reports of three expert teams showed the justification of the decision for the state to form its own telecom, after privatizing Telekom Crne Gore in 2005.
The coordinator of those activities was the then minister Vujica Lazović. The plan at the time was for the company to take over the telecommunications infrastructure of state-owned companies and to be a traditional telecommunications operator, i.e. to offer telephone services as well. The Government announced in September 2014 that the new company will offer Internet and cable TV services to citizens in mid-2015.
However, despite the positive feasibility study and the considerable amount of money that was spent, the idea was never realized and already the following year it stopped being talked about.
The current Government team cannot even find this study in the archives.
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