Astana, Kazakhstan, July 15
By Daniyar Mukhtarov - Trend:
The opportunity to take advantage of number portability, allowing use of another mobile operator's network will appear in Kazakhstan in 2015.
Kazakh First Deputy Prime Minister Bakytzshan Sagintaev made the remarks at the joint 49th meeting of the Council of heads of Regional Commonwealth in the field of Communications.
"Today within the framework of the "Information Kazakhstan" state program the problem to ensure the availability of innovative communication infrastructure is being actively resolved in Kazakhstan. With the purpose to enhance competition in the cellular market, we started work on the introduction of number portability services in cellular networks. We expect that subscribers in Kazakhstan will be able to use the service in 2015," he said.
Today, every second citizen of the country has access to digital television, the deputy PM said.
"The coverage is about 51 percent. We expect completion of the program in 2015, covering 95 percent," Sagintaev added.
During his speech, Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan noted that today there is a noticeable improvement of Kazakhstan's position in the world rankings. Thus, according to him, Kazakhstan was ranked 28th out of 190 countries in the UN ranking on "E-government for the people" in 2013, whereas in 2012 the country was on the 38th place.
Kazakhstan was ranked 38th out of 148 countries on networked readiness index in the world in 2013, and in 2012 - 43rd. The country is on the 17th place (in 2012 - 42nd) for cellular tariffs. Furthermore, in 2013 Kazakhstan ranked eighth on the fixed Internet, whereas in 2012 was ranked 47th.
"The development of effective information communication industry and its progressive integration are the determinants of economic growth for Kazakhstan. The share of the communications industry in GDP is about 2.5 percent. In 2013, the volume of rendered services in the country rose to $4.7 billion," Sagintaev said.
Chairman of Kazakh Communication and Information Agency Askar Zhumagaliyev, Russian Minister of Communications and Mass Media Nikolai Nikiforov and others attended the joint 49th meeting of the Council of heads of Regional Commonwealth in the field of Communications which was held for the fist time in Kazakhstan.
Edited by CN