Turkmenistan - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Digital Media - Statistics and Analyses

1. Executive summary

2. Key statistics

3. Country overview

3.1 Background

3.2 Economy

4. Telecommunications market

4.1 Market Overview and Analysis

4.2 Historical Overview

5. Regulatory environment

5.1 Regulatory authority

6. Government policies - Censorship

7. Fixed network operators

8. Telecommunications infrastructure

8.1 Overview of the national telecom network

8.2 Fibre Networks

8.3 Satellites

9. Fixed-line broadband market

9.1 Introduction and statistical overview

9.2 Broadband statistics

9.3 Forecasts broadband subscribers 2016; 2018; 2021

9.3.1 Notes on scenario forecasts

10. Mobile market

10.1 Market Overview and Analysis

10.2 Mobile statistics

10.3 Forecasts mobile subscribers 2016; 2018; 2021

11. Major mobile operators

11.1 Operator Statistics

11.2 MTS-Turkmenistan (formerly Barash Communications Technologies (BCT))

11.3 TM Cell (Altyn Asyr)

11.4 Asgabat Saher Telefon Ulgamy (ASTU) (New Operator)

12. Digital Media

12.1 Music

12.1.1 Introduction

12.1.2 Local Developments

13. Related reports

Table 1 Country statistics Turkmenistan 2016 (e)

Table 2 Telephone network statistics 2016 (e)

Table 3 Internet user statistics 2016 (e)

Table 4 Broadband statistics 2016 (e)

Table 5 Mobile statistics 2016

Table 6 National telecommunications authority

Table 7 Turkmenistan's GDP real growth rate 2003 - 2015

Table 8 Fixed lines in service and penetration 1991 2016

Table 9 Fixed broadband subscribers 2008 - 2016

Table 10 Internet users 1999 - 2016

Table 11 International internet bandwidth capacity 2002 - 2016

Table 12 Forecast broadband subscribers and penetration rates 2016; 2018; 2021

Table 13 Mobile subscribers and penetration rate 1997 - 2016

Table 14 Forecast mobile subscribers and penetration rates 2016; 2018; 2021

Table 15 Mobile operators and systems

Table 16 Subscribers and Market share by Mobile Operator 2016

Table 17 MTS mobile subscribers 2005 - 2016

Table 18 Historic - MTS mobile ARPU 2004 - 2005; 2008 - 2014

Table 19 TM Cell mobile subscribers 2009 - 2016

Chart 1 - Fixed lines in service and Penetration - 2000 - 2016

Chart 2 Fixed Broadband subscribers and annual change 2000 - 2016

Chart 3 - Mobile subscribers and penetration 2005 - 2016

Turkmenistan - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Digital Media - Statistics and Analyses

Despite strong mobile growth Turkmenistan remains underdeveloped

Turkmenistan's telecommunications market in this poor and predominantly rural country is relatively small. Its telecom services were considered to be the least developed of all the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries when they took shape. Since then, poor growth in telecom services can be attributed to a large extent to the slow development of the private sector and state control over most economic activities. Efforts to move towards a more market-oriented economy have been limited. In the telecom sector there has been some progress, but this limited progress has in turn been overwhelmed by significant setbacks.

Turkmen Telecom has been the primary provider of telecommunication services, and through a subsidiary, TM-Cell, it has been operating a GSM mobile network in competition with a private mobile operator, MTS Turkmenistan, since 2005 a subsidiary of the Russian-based MTS. Not surprisingly it has been the mobile services that have been dominating the expansion activity.

Turkmenistan has experienced a number of problems relating to communications technology. Despite recent efforts to upgrade the country's telecom infrastructure, the telephone network remained poorly developed and many villages have been left without telephone services.

Broadband access remains limited in scale and nature. Fixed broadband penetration reached less than 1% by 2016. Market penetration is predicted to continue to remain low over the next five years to 2021. However Turkmenistan's mobile market has experienced very strong growth over the last few years. However the market has moved closer to a saturation phase with a subsequent slowing in the growth rate. Market penetration reached 148% in 2016.

In 2015 the Turkmenistan President signed a decree founding the telecommunications company Asgabat Saher Telefon Ulgamy (ASTU). The new operator will provide telecommunications services in the capital city. The aim of setting up the new operator is to increase competition in the telecommunications market. Also in 2015 the country's first communications satellite which was successfully launched.

Key developments:

In 2015 the country's first communications satellite which was successfully launched.
MTS Turkmenistan introduced new music and video services in 2015.
In 2015 the Turkmenistan President signed a decree founding the telecommunications company Asgabat Saher Telefon Ulgamy (ASTU)
The government's suspension and generally poor handling of the dispute was seen as a serious indictment of its regulatory regime.
Fixed-line penetration in Turkmenistan has failed to rise significantly, reaching only 12% by 2015;
Internet growth in the country had been hindered by severe government controls. Strict controls remain in place.