Increasing Broadband Internet Penetration
In the OIC Member Countries
147
wireless (CDMA 450) for fixed networks. Regarding fixed broadband, only Kazakhtelecom has
displayed ADSL and upgraded to ADSL 2+ in order to offer close to 8 Mbps service.
In 2011, Kazakhtelecom begun to deploy fiber optics in the local loop under the GPON
standard. Vimpelcom, the primary retail competitor to Kazakhtelecom, also deployed FTTB
service, initially offering speeds of up to 20 Mbps. Over time, the carrier upgraded download
speeds up to 100 Mbps for accessing domestic websites and up to 50 Mbps for accessing
external resources. The service is deployed in more than 130 towns and cities104.
In addition to fiber-based Internet services, a number of Kazakh network operators have
invested in the development of fixed wireless networks. Despite Kazakhstan having greater
fixed access infrastructure than its regional peers, fixed wireless technologies are playing an
increasing role in developing the country’s broadband sector. Fixed wireless deployment is
generally cheaper than building new fixed-line networks, which gives operators an advantage
in areas with little or no fixed-line infrastructure. For example, Kazakhtelecom has deployed a
national CDMA 450 network. Other companies that are active in the fixed wireless sector
include Ducat and AsiaBell, which offer commercial WiMAX services in a variety of locations.
In addition to CDMA 450 and WiMAX, wireless technologies such as satellite and VSAT are also
present in Kazakhstan’s broadband sector. These technologies are generally used to provide
Internet connectivity in remote regions where communications infrastructure is limited.
Finally, Kazakhtelecom has developed broadband wireless networks based on Wi-Fi in
libraries, hotels, railway stations and airports across the country.
On the mobile broadband side, three out of the four original carriers were operating under the
GSM 2.5 standard (Edge, GPRS), while Altel relied on CDMA2000 1xRTT initially and later
migrated to CDMA 2000 1xEV-DO. In 2012, the carrier began switching its customers from
CDMA to LTE105 .
In 2010, Vimpelcom launched an LTE trial in Astana, over the 700 MHz frequency band. In the
same year, K-Cell started its own migration to LTE. Interestingly enough, Kazakhstan’s mobile
operators opted to leapfrog toward deploying 4G services based on LTE rather than complete
the deployment of 3G technology.
Fixed and mobile broadband speeds and quality of broadband servicesInternational statistics of broadband service quality in Kazakhstan are relatively scarce.
Available data is limited to the International Telecommunications Union, which reports a
breakdown of fixed broadband speeds for three categories (see table 85).
104 Telegeography. Kazakhtelecom boosts broadband speeds. 9 Jun 2014
105 Telegeography. Resurgent Altel reaches two million subs milestone. 10 Apr 2015