Residents of Penza are watched with a video camera

The administration in the town of Penza has concluded an agreement with Perm company ER-Telecom for the construction of a municipal telecommunications system. By the end of 2007 it is planned to connect 100,000 Penza apartments to the Internet using a high-speed channel. 40 schools and authorities (administrations, management bodies, ministries and the District Department of the Interior Ministry) will be connected to the network free of charge. The agreement also assumes the development of the project known as "Bezopasny Gorod" (Safe City) with video surveillance cameras installed on the streets and central department store. With this project the city administration aims to kill two birds with one stone: provide schools with broadband Internet access and give the authorities the ability to effectively interact using hi-tech resources.