Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, May 29 / Trend H. Hasanov /
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has instructed Minister of Communications Bayramgeldi Ovezov to oversee the development of competition, including that of the mobile market, the Turkmen government said. The issue was discussed at the government meeting.
"The Turkmen leader stressed the urgent issues connected with providing Turkmen citizens with modern types of telephone communication and the need for further improvement of the national mobile operator Altyn Asyr's activity, the message said.
It is also stressed that the president insisted that special attention in resolving this problem should be paid not only to the introduction of advanced technologies and equipment, although these aspects are extremely important and necessary, but to develop competition in this area.
The Turkmen Communication Ministry is a monopolist in rendering telecommunication services. State-owned companies operating under the ministry render telephone and mobile communication, Internet and cable TV services to the population.
Certain changes may occur in this area. In particular, President Berdimuhamedov has instructed the transfer of the scope of mobile services into private hands, as well as to privatise the national operator Altin Asir (TM CELL).
The joint ventures with a certain share of foreign capital are expected to be established. It was reported that the negotiations are underway with Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) from the UAE which is one of the largest mobile operators in the world with over 100 million subscribers. The company renders communication services in almost 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.