TODAY.AZ / Business

Azerbaijan promotes ITU ranking

31 October 2014 [17:43] - TODAY.AZ

/AzerNews/

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijan has promoted its ranking in the International Telecommunications Union report in terms of internet penetration among individual users.

A study of the Union called "State of Broadband Report 2014" shows that Azerbaijan has risen three points compared to last year and ranked 63rd with 58.7 percent among 191 countries.

The study was conducted by the Broadband Commission for Digital Development at the order of ITU and UNESCO.

Among the CIS countries, Azerbaijan ranked second after Russia that settled at the 56th place.

The study put Azerbaijan ahead of Belarus (69th place), Kazakhstan (70th place), Moldova (81 seats), Armenia (82 place), Ukraine (94th), Uzbekistan (100 seats), Kyrgyzstan (121 place), Tajikistan (137 place) and Turkmenistan (154th). Neighboring Georgia was ranked 92nd.

The world's average index on internet penetration among individual internet users is 37.9 percent.

Azerbaijan also ranked first among the CIS countries in terms of broadband internet penetration among home users in developing countries. The country has improved its position by one point, taking 24th place with 58.7 percent, while the world average is 29.9 percent.

In fixed broadband Internet per 100 inhabitants, Azerbaijan ranked 48th with 17 percent. The country improved its position by four points. The global average in this segment is 9.4 percent.

In the last index on the degree of penetration of mobile broadband, Azerbaijan improved its position by four points, securing 46th place with 43.9 percent. For this indicator, Azerbaijan ranked fifth among the CIS countries, after Russia, Kazakhstan, Moldova and Belarus. Global average in this segment is 26.7 percent.

Azerbaijan is now undertaking measures to develop its nonoil segment of economy and ICT is one of the prominent sectors. Over the past five years, the information technology sector of Azerbaijan has doubled.

Last year, the country invested about 202.2 million manats (over $257 million) in the ICT sector and postal services. Investment in the development of the ICT sector in Azerbaijan is expected to reach $4 billion by 2020.

Earlier, Azerbaijan was elected to the Council of ITU in a group of countries in the 'C' region of Eastern Europe and Northern Asia.

The election of the council is held in five regions. Azerbaijan joined the council, gaining 94 votes. Beside Azerbaijan, ITU Council includes Poland (133 votes), Bulgaria (124), Russia (124) and Romania (111).

Azerbaijan's membership in the ITU Council will last until the end of 2018. The next ITU Plenipotentiary Conference will be held in Dubai in late 2018.

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