Azerbaijan, Baku, 4 March / Trend corr. S.Babayeva / Rufat Gulmammadov, head of the Information Community Development Department at the Communication and IT Ministry, stated that reducing the cost of internet services would be discussed by the Coordination Council on Internet Development.
The Council is implementing measures to develop the internet and its registration, as well as providing science and methodological assistance to departments engaged in this sphere. "This decision was taken during the first meting of the Council held the other day," he said.
Ali Abasov, Communication and IT Ministry of Azerbaijan, stated that the internet providers would acquire resources to render internet services at a low cost. "We cannot change the cost of international internet channels, but there is a possibility of reducing costs for internal resources," the Minister said.
Aztelecom and Baktelecom joint ventures were ordered to consider decreasing their tariffs on internet resources as soon as possible.
According to the analysis held by the Internet Forum of Azerbaijan, the cost for 64 Kbyte/h Internet channel totalled $50 (2,048 Kbyte/h for $1,500) in Azerbaijan and $5 or $10 in Russia (2,048 Kbyte/h for $30 or $45) from January to February 2008
There are 30 internet providers in Azerbaijan and only two of them are state companies.
The number of internet users comprises 1mln people.