Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Jan. 31/ Trend, H. Hasanov /
The Turkmen Communications Ministry has held the first meeting of the board of founders of Altyn Asyr (TM Cell) closed joint-stock company which provides mobile communications services, local media reported on Thursday.
According to Turkmen Dovlet Khabarlary state information service, the transformation of former Altyn Asyr mobile communications company of Turkmentelecom state company into Altyn Asyr JSC had been on the agenda.
A number of issues were discussed within the meeting related to the signing of a foundational agreement, approval of the charter and the charter capital of the new company, as well as the election of a general director, board of directors and audit committee.
Representatives of the Economy and Development Ministry, Finance Ministry, Supreme Chamber of Control, Central Bank and State Tax Service were invited to attend the meeting.
The company was established based on the decree of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov signed in November 2012. Back then, the number of subscribers to TM Cell cellular network reached more than three million people.
Established in 2004, the Altyn Asyr cellular network joined the World Association of GSM Standard Mobile Operators, where TM Cell mobile network , Turkmen national network of cellular was registered under number 438 02.
During this period, the coverage area of services has significantly expanded, it covers almost all Turkmen settlements, including remote and hard-to-reach areas, and the ones located along roads and railways.
The Ministry of Communications is still a monopoly in Turkmenistan. State-owned companies, operating under the ministry provide telephone and mobile communications, Internet and cable TV services to the population.
Earlier it was reported that joint ventures with a certain share of foreign capital can be established in the national cellular communication market. In particular, negotiations were conducted with Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) from the UAE - one of the largest mobile operators in the world (more than 100 million subscribers). Etisalat provides communication services in almost 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
Russian MTS operator is the only foreign company in Turkmenistan providing cellular communication services