Presence of Technology in Afghanistan An Assessment

1
Presence of Technology in Afghanistan-An
Assessment
First National ICT C0nference April 2006 Kabul

• By Antonio Loda
• Adviser
• Ministry of Communications
• of Afghanistan

2

• Background
• Technical Assessment
• Financial Assessment
• Other
• Issues
• Conclusions

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Background

• The Afghan ICT sector has rapidly since 2001
• There are now four licensed national telecom
  operators in Afghanistan, with an additional
  national license and Local Fixed Service
  Providers licenses soon to be awarded.
• Telecommunications penetration (landline
  mobile) is aproximately 5, with service
  available in 34 provinces and 59 districts
  (15.4.2006)
• Dozens of licensed ISPs
• A new Telecom Law passed in December 2005
• ICT Department formed in 2005 in the Ministry of
  Communications

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Technical Assessment

• GSM mobile and CDMA wireless local loop voice
  communications technology deployed nationally.
• CDMA broadband internet access deployed city-wide
  in Kabul
• Satellite and Microwave long distance networks
  deployed nationally
• A fiber optic network connects Government
  buildings in Kabul, its extension is planned and
  the awarding of a contract for a national fiber
  optic network is in progress
• Lan / Wan and wireless data networks are deployed
  in major cities. Wimax technology is being
  procured to connect Government buildings in
  provincial capitals.
• Major IT vendors entering Afghan market through
  dealerships.

Afghanistan is well on the way in adopting modern
ICT technology
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Financial Assessment

• According to ANDS, telecommunications and
  infrastructure in 2003 accounted for 8-9 of the
  economy
• Telecom sector value will likely exceed 300M in
  2006
• The MoC estimated that the Telecom sector
  responsible for over 500M of Foreign Direct
  Investment since 2002
• According to the MoC, its contributions to
  Government revenues grew to over 66M in 1384

The ICT sector is a vibrant and significant part
of the Afghan economy
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Other

• Legal while developing the ICT legal and
  regulatory environment (see previous
  presentations), the MoC has used innovative
  mechanisms to provide an acceptable legal
  environment for businesses and investors
• International arbitration based licenses
• Interim regulatory environment (TRB)
• International procurement for MoC / Afghan
  Telecom networks / systems
• Social
• MoC estimates over 30000 jobs have been created
  in the telecom sector alone
• MoC plans to launch a survey of the ICT sector,
  using the UNCTDA ICT Development Indices
  methodology

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Issues

• Lack of
• security
• power
• financial services
• incentives for investment in ICT
• a modern legal environment

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Conclusions

• The Afghan ICT industry has rapidly grown in the
  last two years
• The MoC has fostered competition through a modern
  policy, legal and regulatory environment
• Further growth depends on improvement of the
  general business climate.