Kazakhstan plans to share Starlink internet with neighboring countries

Kazakhstan plans to supply neighboring countries with internet using Starlink satellite infrastructure located within its territory, Vlast reported.

Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Jaslan Madiyev said the digital infrastructure would strengthen Kazakhstan’s role in ensuring regional connectivity.

“Satellite internet will also be provided to neighboring countries through Starlink gateway stations built in Kazakhstan. Traffic for Tajikistan will be launched this year, with Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan next. Uzbekistan is already offering advance purchase agreements for the Trans-Caspian fiber-optic communication line,” he said.

Madiyev added that 1,900 villages in Kazakhstan will be connected to fiber-optic internet this year, and the share of such villages will exceed 90 percent next year. By the end of this year, all national highways are expected to be covered by the communication infrastructure.

Internet access will also be available on Kazakhstan Temir Zholy’s main passenger rail routes and on aircraft operated by the national airline.

Last October, the minister said that by 2027, 5G networks would be introduced in 20 regional and national cities with 60–75 percent coverage. By that time, the country aims to provide 100 percent internet coverage and increase speeds to over 100 Mbps. Fiber-optic lines are also planned to reach up to 90 percent of rural settlements.

In 2023, the president instructed the government to fully deploy 5G in all regional centers by the end of 2025 instead of 2027.

Earlier, reports said that the Starlink internet network had been launched in Kazakhstan.

E'zoza Olimova