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| Uzbekistan Telecommunications Research |
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 Uzbekistan - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband & Forecasts
Executive summary
Uzbekistan has been struggling to bring its telecommunications system up to the standard found in developed countries. For a long time the country's telecom infrastructure generally remained outmoded and inadequate. Nevertheless, since 2002 the situation has been gradually improving, due largely to the government's decision to give national priority to Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs). Consequently there has been an upward trend in the country's telecom market over recent years, with rising revenues and increased investment in infrastructure. The government's strategic policy was to privatise the incumbent operator Uzbektelecom and to open the market to competition in accordance with the country's aim to join the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The telecom sector has been regulated by the Uzbek Agency for Communications and Information (UzACI), the successor to the Ministry of Communications. In July 2005 the UzACI approved a telecommunications investment program for 2005-2010. Among other things, the program aimed to increase the total number of fixed lines to 2.2 million and achieve 100% digitalisation of the network by 2010 (only about two-thirds of the network was digital by 2007, but by March 2009 this has been lifted sharply to 89%, according to the UzACI), while also accomplishing a marked improvement in mobile telephone and Internet penetration. The program was to be financed with loans and foreign investment, the internal resources of operators and providers, as well as government funding.
The state-owned national telecom operator, Uzbektelecom, was granted a monopoly on international voice services and VoIP until 2007 and controlled around 98% of local fixed-line telephony services, and 96% of international fixed-line services. Little progress had been made in the government's plans to privatise Uzbektelecom despite several attempts over the last decade to sell off a sizable stake to a foreign investor. The only alternative fixed-line providers were Buzton and East Telecom, which were servicing a limited number of subscribers.
Mobile telephony first arrived in Uzbekistan in 1992; by 2003 there were seven mobile networks offering a range of standards, including GSM, DAMPS and CDMA. All of the mobile operators were majority owned by foreign investors. Some consolidation in the mobile market seemed likely in the not too distant future.
Prospects for the country's telecom sector were strong given that combined fixed-line and mobile teledensity was roughly 12% in early 2006, Three years later, by early 2009, substantial progress had been made in terms of network rollout/upgrade and the take up of services by subscribers. The combined fixed-line and mobile teledensity was roughly 54% by March 2009, but almost all the growth had been in the mobile sector, fixed-line penetration was still only 7%.
While the country's Internet market had enjoyed considerable growth since 2002, Internet access remained limited for the majority of the country's population. By end-2005 Internet user penetration stood at just over 4%. However, by early 2009, there had been a more than doubling of Internet user penetration to 9%. (It is noted that the various sources for statistics on Internet subscribers in Uzbekistan provide limited or contradictory information.)
Key highlights:
By early 2009 mobile penetration in Uzbekistan had moved rapidly to 47%, with mobile subscriber numbers having increased tenfold in less than four years;
Growth in the country's mobile subscriber base was a remarkable 109% in 2008;
Three mobile operators - MTS, Unitel and UCell - launched 3G networks in late 2008;
Fixed-line growth in Uzbekistan has been almost non-existent of late, with penetration continuing to hover around 7%;
On the positive front, however, has been the accelerated conversion of the fixed network from analogue to digital with 87% digital by March 2009 and 100% target likely in 2010;
The published statistics indicate substantial growth in Internet usage, with Internet user penetration reported at more than 9% in early 2009;
Broadband Internet appeared to be growing quickly from a small base in 2008/09; (however, the information available on the broadband subscriber market was limited);
In the meantime, Uzbekistan continues to maintain tight controls on some aspects of Internet usage.Uzbekistan - key telecom parameters - 2008 - 2009
Category20082009 (e)
Fixed-line services:
Total number of subscribers (million)1.9 2.0
Annual growth1%4%
Fixed-line penetration (population)7%7%
Internet:
Total number of subscribers1165,000200,000
Annual growth37%21%
Internet subscriber penetration (population)0.6%0.7%
Mobile services:
Total number of subscribers (million)12.3 17.5
Annual growth109%42%
Mobile penetration (population)44%62%
(Source: BuddeComm)
Note: 1Estimates for both 2008 and 2009.
This report provides an overview of the trends and developments in the telecommunications markets in Uzbekistan. Subjects covered include:
Key Statistics;
Market and Industry Overviews;
Major Operators (Mobile and Fixed);
Regulatory Environment;
Infrastructure;
Mobile Market - Voice and Data;
Internet Market, including Broadband.
Last Update: 17 Feb 2010 Number of Pages: 28
Single User: USD $200.00 ex-GST View Table of Contents
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