The Accessible Internet National Project has received official approval from the government of Kazakhstan, with Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov signing the corresponding decree, QazMonitor reports citing primeminister.kz.
The project aims to provide the population with broadband internet access at speeds of at least 100 Mbps. Scheduled to run from 2024 to 2027, this project comes with a budget exceeding 1.5 trillion tenge, with over 1.3 trillion tenge sourced from non-budgetary channels.
The primary focus of this initiative is to establish a comprehensive fiber-optic network in rural areas, with plans to install these communication lines in over 3,000 villages through public-private partnerships.
By supporting small and medium-sized communication operators, the project will provide high-speed internet to 400,000 households. Private operators investing a total of 92 billion tenge will receive half of their capital costs back in the form of government subsidies.
Additionally, the national project envisions constructing digital infrastructure to extend mobile internet coverage along major national and regional highways, involving the installation of 487 antenna mast structures covering 17,000 kilometers of roadways.
Another objective of the project is to expand the 5G network. Currently, 605 base stations are in operation, and the plan is to implement 5G technology in all major cities and regional centers by the end of 2025. Communication operators are expected to invest approximately 300 billion tenge in this endeavor.
Ultimately, the National Project's goal is to achieve 100% high-speed internet coverage for Kazakhstan's population by 2027, establishing the country as a regional digital hub.
