Whole of Uzbekistan to have 4G by 2023, says minister

The entire population of Uzbekistan will be covered by 4G LTE mobile networks by 2023, according to the country’s First Deputy Minister for the Development of Information Technologies and Communications Olimjon Umarov. As reported by the Trend news agency, Umarov stated: ‘We plan to fully cover all the country’s populated areas with fourth-generation mobile communications by 2023’, although it was not specified if he was referring only to the state-backed Uzbektelecom (including Uzmobile) or Uzbek mobile operators collectively. According to Umarov, over 2,000km of fibre-optics have been put into operation this year so far alongside over 4,000 new 4G base stations. The official identified the construction of large data centres in Bukhara and Fergana regions among the priority projects backed by the ministry, and added: ‘We plan to develop broadband access networks in the coming years and to increase the number of internet access ports by 1.5 million, as well as to lay over 120,000 kilometres of fibre-optic communication lines.’