Ministry of Digital Development to evaluate Internet quality in Kazakhstan

The Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan is currently busy with measuring the communication quality in various cities in order to guarantee the highest Internet quality and cellular communication in urban areas, Kazinform News Agency reports.

According to Minister of Digital Development, Innovations, and Aerospace Industry, Zhaslan Madiev, an operational headquarters has already been established, which includes representatives of the ministry, local executive bodies, and service providers. A purpose of the headquarters is to monitor the communication quality.
Minister Madiev added that the ministry, in collaboration with the National Security Committee, is amending the by-law to permit the installation of base stations at state institutions that are not included in state secret list.
Earlier, Marat Omarov, Chairman of the Agency for Protection and Development of Competition, provided insight into the factors contributing to the high cost of Internet services in Kazakhstan. He asserts that the telecommunications market is a natural monopoly, currently held by Kazakhtelecom JSC.
There are 1,400 villages in Kazakhstan that lack access to mobile Internet.