Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijan has started the implementation of a broadband Internet project, the communications and high-tech ministry reported.

The project is financed by Amsterdam Trade Bank, with an allocation of 13.7 million euros to Aztelekom production association.

Contracts for the purchase of necessary telecommunications equipment have been signed and some of the equipment has already been delivered to the country.

The allocated funds will help toward the construction of 63 cable-sewer systems, laying of optical communication lines stretching 245 kilometers, increasing the number capacity of telecommunication centers in 10 regions of Azerbaijan, as well as increase the number of broadband access ports in 47 cities and regions of the country up to 98 million units.

The ultimate goals of the project are to provide the whole country, including remote rural areas, with high-speed internet in the range of 10-100 megabits/second and to increase the share of broadband internet users to 85 percent.

Should it be successful in these aims, Azerbaijan will reach the level of developed countries by 2017.

Today, Azerbaijan is the leading regional country in terms of developing high technologies.

Currently, some 75 percent of the population uses the Internet. Broadband Internet penetration among the population stands at 62 percent. For these indicators, Azerbaijan is twice ahead of the world average.

Moreover, Azerbaijan holds the 23th place among developing countries on the share of Internet-connected households.

The project on the development of broadband Internet in Azerbaijan which started in 2015 is expected to be implemented in the next three years.

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Nigar Orujova is AzerNews’s staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @o_nigar

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