TURKMEN STATE-OWNED COMPANY ANNOUNCES 3G SERVICES,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001615

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB;
COMMERCE FOR DSTARKS/EHOUSE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON PGOV EINT ECPS BTIO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMEN STATE-OWNED COMPANY ANNOUNCES 3G SERVICES,
BUT NOT SO FAST...

REF: ASHGABAT 1116

ASHGABAT 00001615 001.2 OF 002



1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified. Not for Internet
distribution.


2. (SBU) On December 12, TM Cell, the state-owned cell phone
company run by the Ministry of Communications, began to offer
3rd Generation (3G) services to cell phone customers across
the country. Tech-savvy customers, who were operating on a
more Western definition of 3G, were disappointed to learn
that 3G in Turkmenistan did not translate into faster
connectivity and an ability to easily upload and download
various media on their cell phones. Although rates for the
3G services are considered inexpensive, it is unlikely that
customers will flock to TM Cell's 3G service, once they
realize it works only as fast as the dial-up they have at
home.


3. (SBU) By definition, 3G is a family of service standards
crafted by the International Telecommunications Union, which
includes mobile formats that enable cell phone users to, in
essence, turn their phones into personal computers. 3G in
most countries allows for services such as wide area voice
telephone, multimedia message service (MMS) video calls, and
the ability to receive and send wireless data at high speeds.
The 3G service now available in Turkmenistan, however,
operates on a frequency that will only allow for MMS
transmission to other TM Cell clients, as the company does
not have contracts with cell phone companies outside of
Turkmenistan. More important, the Internet connectivity rate
for the Turkmen 3G service is only 56Kb/second, which will
not accommodate services like Internet television, Youtube
video content, and other video content programming that is
standard on most 3G platforms.


4. (SBU) TM Cell markets its cell phone packages under the
name Altyn Asyr, a term coined by former Turkmen President
Niyazov which means the "Golden Age," but most
computer-literate contacts we spoke with consider
Turkmenistan's telecommunications substandard at best.
Turkmen President Berdimuhamedov continues to tout Internet
access as the right of every Turkmen citizen, tasking the
Ministry of Communications with the burden of making that a
reality (reftel). Berdimuhamedov's positive comments
resulted in foreign telecommunications companies flocking to
the country's International Telecommunications
Exhibition/Conference in September. These foreign companies
hoped to bring much-needed telecommunications technology and
capabilities to the country, but no major deals have been
signed, and the majority of Turkmen with Internet have
antiquated dial-up access, as it is really the only option
available. Some Ashgabat residents with dial-up told us they
wake up in the early morning hours to avoid peak Internet
traffic, to obtain a fast enough Internet connection to check
emails, surf the Internet, and maybe use Skype to phone
family and friends outside of Turkmenistan if they're really
lucky.


5. (SBU) COMMENT. The arrival of 3G in Turkmenistan was not
announced in local or national media, and many Ashgabat
residents accidentally stumbled upon it while paying their
cell phone bills at TM Cell. For those who need faster
Internet capability for business, school, and personal use,
the Turkmen version of 3G is only a small step ahead of the
current dial up service that most have at home. If the
Turkmen Government really wants to be seen as an innovator in
providing high-tech communications products and services to
its citizens, it will have to partner with foreign companies
with the technology and know-how necessary to bring
Turkmenistan into the modern communications age. END

ASHGABAT 00001615 002.2 OF 002


COMMENT.
CURRAN