State support has fundamentally changed the program's economic efficiency, Antonyuk said. The recoupment period of the program has been reduced from 8 to 5.5 years, which guarantees not only the repayment of loans, but also makes it possible to save funds from the Kosmicheskaya Svyaz budget for developing new generation spacecraft, he said.

By 2005, the potential of the national satellite network will be increased to 275 communication channels. An important result will be Russia's retaining its orbit frequencies and not allowing foreign operators to occupy them, Antonyuk noted. The program will also help radically change the situation on the satellite communications market in Russia by replacing outdated and aging satellites with advanced spacecraft with an active service life of 10 to 12 years.

In addition, the upgrading of the Russian national civil communications and broadcasting satellite network will make it possible to start actively deploying regional multi-service satellite communications networks and create a unified telecommunications infrastructure in Russia and the CIS, Antonyuk said.