Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 21
By Huseyn Valiyev – Trend:
Until the end of 2020, the copper telephone cabling infrastructure in the central parts of Baku will be completely replaced by fiber optic lines, a source in Azerbaijan’s telecommunications market told Trend.
Presently, the vast majority of Internet connections among households in Baku account for the share of ADSL technology, and these services are provided through a copper cable network that doesn’t meet the requirements of consumers in view of poor connection and low speed of access to the Internet, according to the source.
“In order to solve this problem, a corresponding state program has been approved, which envisages phased connection of households to fiber optic lines,” the source noted. “Last year, for the implementation of a pilot project mainly in the central part of Baku, Baku Telephone Communications LLC purchased the necessary equipment to transfer 30,000 households to fiber optic communication. This year it is planned to additionally purchase equipment for 100,000 households.”
If at the first stage new buildings will be connected to the fiber optic lines, the additional equipment purchased by the operator will be directed to the connection of older houses.
Presently, the number of households connected via optic fiber lines to services of the Baku Telephone Communications LLC exceeds 4,000. The total number of households in Baku is about 700,000.
“As the residential houses are connected to the fiber optic lines, the copper cabling network will be decommissioned,” the source said. “Thus, the Internet, telephony and other multimedia services rendered by the operator will be based on optical communication lines. To fully use all services of the operator, users will be offered free replacement of the equipment.”