Azerbaijani ministers meet managers of Huawei, China Telecom
By Leman Mammadova
Chinese companies Huawei and China Telecom may be involved in the construction of fiber-optic cable lines from Azerbaijan in various directions along the bottom of the Caspian Sea.
Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan Ramin Guluzade and Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev, who are on a visit to Beijing to attend the 7th meeting of the Azerbaijan-China Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, met with the management of Huawei, Trend reports with reference to the ministry.
During the meeting, Huawei’s new production technologies covering various areas were presented, and an exchange of views took place on the further expansion of the company’s activities in Azerbaijan.
In addition, the sides discussed possible participation of the company in the laying of a fiber-optic cable line along the bottom of the Caspian Sea through Azerbaijan in the direction of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
In the future, this cable line will ensure access of Afghanistan to internet through Turkmenistan.
During the visit, Minister Ramin Guluzade also met with Head of China Telecom Yang Jie. The existing relations and prospects for further cooperation in the international telecommunications sphere with this company were discussed.
The importance of taking possible steps to implement the Trans-Eurasian Information Super Highway (TASIM) project as soon as possible was noted.
During the meeting, issues of technical solutions for laying a fiber-optic cable line as part of the project along the bottom of the Caspian Sea in the direction of Kazakhstan, developing a feasibility study of the project, including the study of the need for further use of this highway by the Chinese side, were discussed.
The parties also exchanged views on cooperation with the company in connection with the construction of a fiber-optic cable line along the bottom of the Caspian Sea between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.
In order to conduct more detailed technical and economic consultations in this area, the management of Huawei and China Telecom was invited to Azerbaijan.
Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider. Driven by a commitment to sound operations, ongoing innovation, and open collaboration, we have established a competitive ICT portfolio of end-toend solutions in telecom and enterprise networks, devices, and cloud technology and services.
China Telecom is a large-scale and leading integrated information services operator in the world, providing wireline and mobile telecommunications services, Internet access services, information services and other value-added telecommunications services primarily in the PRC.
Today Azerbaijan is turning into a regional transit center both in logistics and information exchange. The interconnected terrestrial cable networks running through the region are of high importance for the countries' connectivity. Examples include the TAE line, the Europe-Persian Express Gateway (EPEG) and the Trans-Eurasian Information Superhighway (TASIM), all of which involve Azerbaijan.
The project on establishment of fiber-optic highway connecting Europe and Asia, Trans-Eurasian Information Super Highway (TASIM) was initiated by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Communications and High Technologies at the meeting within the 14th "Bakutel" exhibition-conference in Baku in November 2008 by adoption of Baku Declaration. The aim of the project is to establish a transnational fiber optic line from Frankfurt to Hong Kong, from Western Europe to East Asia. This project will eliminate "digital distinction" and open new economic opportunities for landlocked Eurasian countries.
In 2009, the UN General Assembly adopted a special resolution on TASIM project, accompanied by the resolutions in 2012 and 2013 as well.
In 2013, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with 5 telecom operators participating in the project.
The transit line will reach Germany, passing through China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.
The realization of TASIM will consist of two stages: installation of the main Internet-transit infrastructure connecting the West and East; affordable access provision to Eurasian countries without open access to the transit infrastructure.
Russia (Rostelecom), Kazakhstan (KazTransCom), Turkey (TurkTelecom) and China (China Telecom) are also involved in TASIM project. Azerbaijan is represented in the project by AzInTelecom Ltd of the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies.
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