Russians purchase Wi-Fi routers during periods of mobile internet disruptions
In recent times, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Russia have been requesting Wi-Fi services to connect their information systems, cash registers, and provide internet access to visitors. This surge in demand is a response to mobile internet blockages and restrictions on mobile data access, leading consumers and businesses to rely more on home broadband networks supported by Wi-Fi routers to maintain stable internet connectivity.
Sales of Wi-Fi routers have notably increased in Russia recently, driven by users seeking alternatives amid mobile internet blockages and restrictions. This shift reflects consumer efforts to maintain stable internet connectivity by relying more on home broadband networks supported by Wi-Fi routers. The impact on businesses is significant: companies investing in Wi-Fi router infrastructure can alleviate some service disruptions caused by mobile internet restrictions, maintaining operational continuity, remote work capabilities, and customer connectivity.
The increase in router sales raises legal considerations around internet regulation, access rights, and telecommunications law enforcement within Russia. Users circumventing blockages with Wi-Fi routers connect via wired broadband or other ISPs not subject to the same restrictions. However, detailed legal analyses or recent regulatory updates specific to this issue in Russia were not found in the present search results.
The e-commerce platform Ozon has ordered owners of pick-up points operating in the "Maxim Brand" format to connect cable internet, indicating a broader trend towards fixed internet connections. Mobile internet blockages in Russia this summer have led to an increase in demand for Wi-Fi and fixed internet connections. Operators do not incur financial losses due to mobile internet outages, as this is considered a force majeure that is not compensated by anyone or in any way.
In June-July 2025, the number of requests from business segment clients for fixed internet connection, including Wi-Fi, increased by 2.2 times compared to the same period in 2024. Sales of Wi-Fi routers have increased by 112% on Wildberries in the first two summer months of 2025 compared to June-July 2024.
The situation is not unique to businesses. Residents in several regions of Russia, including Ivanovo, Pskov, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Tyumen, and others, have been experiencing mobile internet shutdowns in the last two months. Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the President of Russia, believes that mobile internet disruptions are justified for security reasons, particularly during drone attacks.
In court, subscribers won't succeed in getting any compensation for mobile internet outages, according to Eldar Murtazin, an analyst from Mobile Research Group. He also states that the state can turn off the internet in a specific region with a single button press, and suing operators would be futile.
On a positive note, the competitive advantages of fixed internet and Wi-Fi include data transfer speed and the absence of traffic limits. VK's subsidiary is overseeing the development of a national messenger named MAX, and a national messenger's AI assistant is set to launch in Russia. The kick-scooter operator Whoosh has launched SMS-based rentals in Volgograd, Voronezh, Izhevsk, and Krasnodar.
In conclusion, the rise in Wi-Fi router sales and demand for fixed internet connections in Russia is a response to mobile internet outages, creating a shift towards more stable internet connectivity. This trend raises legal and regulatory questions, but it also presents opportunities for businesses and the development of new technologies.
- Businesses in Russia are leaning more on gadgets like Wi-Fi routers to maintain a stable internet connection as mobile internet blockages and restrictions become more prevalent, as evidenced by the 112% increase in Wi-Fi router sales on Wildberries in the first two summer months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
- Technology solutions, such as the development of national messengers and AI assistants, are being targeted to capitalize on the trend towards fixed internet connections and Wi-Fi in Russia, with VK's subsidiary overseeing the development of a national messenger named MAX.
