Azerbaijan, Baku, July 27 / Trend H. Valiyev /
The Azerbaijani Communications and IT Ministry will support Internet kiosks, established by the U.S organization IREX in the remote areas of the republic, IREX lawyer Alasgar Mammadli told Trend today.
The kiosks are being installed within "Electronic Village" project initiated by IREX.
Mammadli said that the initiator and the ministry signed a memorandum. According to it, the ministry will support the project.
Internet kiosks will be available in Azerpost's 30 regional post offices, located in villages and settlements, mainly in the densely-populated areas and suitable infrastructure.
"According to the project, IREX will provide access to the Internet network and maintenance for one year," he said. "This will be made through additional funds attracted by the organization. Then these operations will be conducted by the Communications and IT Ministry."
At present, the work on installing Internet kiosks is at the final stage. The devices will be fully installed next week.
"Aztelekom production association will provide 24 kiosks with Internet, and the rest - by one of the suppliers of mobile access," he said. "Its name will be announced after a contract is concluded. But if Aztelekom state operator expands access to broadband internet throughout the country by late 2012, of course, the preference will be given to it."
He said that about $100,000 were spent to purchase the devices, supplied from China. It was possible to reduce the cost of their imports into the republic due to the existing intergovernmental agreement between Azerbaijan and the U.S, which exempts goods imported into the country for humanitarian purposes from customs duties.
Windows has been installed in the multimedia devices. They have been equipped with touch screen-display and additional keyboard, USB ports, the phone handset. Skype has been installed in kiosks.
The main purpose of installing Internet kiosks in the regions of the country is to provide the population with the access to the information for the citizens to have the opportunity to carry out online-payments, apply in the electronic form to public agencies, to complain about existing problems, etc.