Remote Arctic Village Eik Finally Gets Mobile Internet After Years of Isolation

The remote Arctic village of Eik in Yakutia now has mobile internet for the first time. Rostelecom recently installed a 4G base station there, marking the tenth such station in the region. Over 300 residents can now access high-speed connectivity and voice services. The new base station, manufactured by Russian company Bulat, was set up as part of Rostelecom’s ongoing project. The Universal Communications Network 2.0 initiative aims to provide mobile coverage and fast internet to small settlements—those with 100 to 1,000 people—by 2030.

Petr Yakovlev, Director of the Operations Center at Sakhatelecom, explained that Rostelecom is expanding digital infrastructure in Yakutia’s Arctic zone. This work follows a contract with Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development. By the end of the year, two more Arctic settlements in Yakutia will receive reliable connectivity.

The arrival of mobile internet in Eik has already made a difference. More than 240 SIM cards were handed out to villagers, giving them access to online services. Evdokia Petrova, Head of the Shologon National Legacy in Olenyok District, noted how this improvement has helped residents.

Petr Nikolayev, Yakutia’s Minister of Innovation, Digital Development, and Infocommunication Technologies, stressed the importance of the project. He described it as a key step in closing the digital divide across the Arctic. The new base station in Eik is part of a wider effort to connect isolated Arctic communities. Rostelecom’s project will continue expanding, with more settlements set to receive mobile and internet access in the coming months. For now, Eik’s residents can use high-speed connectivity for the first time.