KresCom is the state-owned telecommunications provider of the Divine Republic of Kresimiria. Holding a constitutionally protected monopoly, KresCom is the sole provider of landline telephone, mobile cellular service, and internet connectivity within the nation.
Operating under the strict oversight of the Council for Education, KresCom is not merely a utility provider but a critical component of the state’s apparatus for information control. It manages the physical infrastructure of the “Divine Firewall,” the national censorship system that isolates the domestic “Kresinet” from the global internet.
History
Unification of Infrastructure (2000)
Prior to the turn of the millennium, Kresimiria’s telecommunications network was a fragmented patchwork. It consisted of aging copper-wire telegraph lines left over from the Vosti Empire, dedicated private lines owned by banks like STP Credit, and a fledgling, unregulated collection of local internet bulletin boards.
In 2000, the government of Blue Dawn leader Ljubo Sanjakorin, continuing his policy of strategic nationalization, passed the Telecommunications Sovereignty Act. This legislation seized all private telecommunications assets and consolidated them into a single entity: KresCom. The move was justified as a necessity to modernize the grid and ensure equal access for rural districts like Viskogorje, though critics in the Civic Renewal Front argued it was a move to centralize state surveillance.
The Digital Expansion (2000–2013)
KresCom spent its first decade laying fiber-optic cables along the Republic Rail corridors. However, internet access remained a luxury for the urban elite in Sinj and Decelska until the rise of the smartphone.
The Stov-YakaSys Era (2013–Present)
The operational mandate of KresCom shifted significantly with the rise of Ari Stov to the leadership of Blue Dawn. Stov championed the KresiX project, which required a robust, ubiquitous mobile network.
Since 2013, KresCom has worked in a symbiotic partnership with the private tech giant YakaSys. This public-private partnership defined the modern Kresimirian digital landscape: KresCom builds and owns the hardware (cell towers, server farms, cables), while YakaSys provides the software ecosystem that runs on top of it.
Infrastructure and Services
The Kresinet
KresCom provides access to the Kresinet, a national intranet. Unlike the World Wide Web, the Kresinet is a “walled garden.” Access to foreign websites is blocked by default.
- The Divine Firewall: KresCom operates the physical gateways at the border where Kresimiria’s network connects to the outside world. These gateways heavily filter traffic, allowing only state-approved data to pass.
- Speed Tiers: Internet speed is often tied to a citizen’s social standing or profession. Government officials and Karlovac University researchers are granted “Priority Bandwidth,” while regular citizens often face throttled speeds, particularly in District X.
Mobile Network
KresCom operates the K-Cell network. It is the only network compatible with YakaPhone devices running the KresiX OS. Purchase of a SIM card requires a biometric scan and a valid digital ID, ensuring every phone number is directly tied to a specific citizen in the Council for Internal Affairs database.
Controversies
Surveillance and Censorship
Because KresCom falls under the jurisdiction of the Council for Education, its stated mission includes “protecting the moral and spiritual health of the citizenry.” In practice, this means strict censorship.
- The Blackouts: KresCom has been accused of implementing targeted internet blackouts during periods of civil unrest. During protests in Brod Moravice in 2018, mobile data in the city was cut for 48 hours, preventing activists from organizing.
- Data Sharing: KresCom is legally obligated to provide the Council for Internal Affairs with real-time access to call logs and browsing history without a warrant, under the provisions of the State Security Act and the 1933 National Security Act.
Pricing and Efficiency
As a state monopoly, KresCom faces no competition. Unlike many other monopolies, KresCom operates with a high satisfactionrate. Service costs are very low relative to average wages, and customer service is typically very good. Even in rural areas, connection outages are rare.
The YakaSys Relationship
The seamless integration between KresCom and YakaSys has drawn criticism from anti-corruption advocates. Critics argue that state funds allocated to KresCom are funneled into overpriced maintenance contracts with YakaSys, indirectly enriching associates of Ari Stov.