Number of Web Users Grossly Underestimated

Statistics on the number of people with access to the internet across Central Asia showed Tajikistan lagging far behind the other four states. But telecommunications experts based in Dushanbe hotly dispute these figures, which were published in the media last week.



According to the figures from the Internet World Stats website, just 0.1 per cent of the Tajik population has access to the internet. Kyrgyzstan led the way with 5.2 per cent of the population enjoying regular access to the web, followed by Uzbekistan, Kazakstan and Turkmenistan.



Tajik experts say the figures are wildly inaccurate, and argue their country is actually ahead of its neighbours in terms of the telecommunications technology it has introduced.



Communications minister Abdurahim Ashurov said at a recent press conference that the number of people with access to the internet exceeded one million last year, while leading telecommunications companies polled by NBCentralAsia say 700,000 people – ten per cent of the population – use the internet on a regular basis.



There are currently 14 internet providers in Tajikistan, covering around 30 of the largest towns.



Nelya Zharkova, head of marketing at Babilon-T, a significant player in the internet services market, says the only possible explanation for Tajikistan’s low rating is that the survey only counted users whose access to the internet was at home via dedicated lines.



Tajikistan is the only country in the region that has the New Generation Network or NGN, which gives access to high-speed internet, IP-telephony and other services, said Zharkova.



“It is a gross error to say Tajikistan is less technologically developed, or that only a small percentage of the population has access to the internet,” she said.



A senior employee of another large internet company said, “People do have access to the internet, and I am certain the statistics are understated.”



This industry insider said that some people do not have computers so they cannot go online at home, but internet charges are so low that there are huge queues at offices which provide public access.



(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)