Turkmenistan - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Mobile broadband gains momentum in Turkmenistan in struggling fixed line market

Slow growth in telecom services in Turkmenistan, a predominantly rural country and former Soviet republic, can be attributed to a large extent to the slow development of the private sector and state control over most economic activities.

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.

In 2019 Russia-based Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) is said to have begun the process of dismantling its equipment in Turkmenistan with a view to fully withdrawing from the country.

Turkmenistan’s mobile market has experienced extraordinarily strong growth over 2007 to 2012 period. Over the 2013 to 2018 the mobile market increased at a much slower pace, as the market has moved closer to a saturation phase there has been an inevitable slowing in the growth rate. Slow growth is predicted over the next five years to 2023. The market will be constrained from higher growth due to a further maturing market.

Turkmenistan has experienced a number of problems relating to communications technology. Despite efforts to upgrade the country’s telecom infrastructure, the telephone network remained poorly developed and many villages have been left without telephone services. Fixed line penetration over the past four years has been increasing slowly from a relatively small base.

Fixed broadband penetration in Turkmenistan remains limited in scale and nature and extremely low mainly due to a limited number of fixed lines as well as the dominance of the mobile platform. Over the next five years to 2023 growth is expected to continue but overall market penetration will remain extremely low.

In 2018 the Turkmenistan President ordered the Turkmenistan Academy of Sciences to design the state programme 'Digital Turkmenistan'. The programme is planned to be focused on fostering the development of ICT in the country.

Turkmenistan has seen a strong increase in mobile broadband penetration over the past four years however the mobile broadband market is still at an early stage of development and penetration remains relatively low compared to other Asian nations. Very strong growth is predicted over the next five years to 2023.

Key developments:

Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) is said to have begun the process of dismantling its equipment in Turkmenistan
Fixed broadband penetration in Turkmenistan remains limited in scale and nature and extremely low.
The Turkmenistan President ordered the Turkmenistan Academy of Sciences to design the state programme 'Digital Turkmenistan'.
Turkmenistan launched the Biz Byarde (We Are Here) social network.
Turkmenistan has seen a strong increase in mobile broadband penetration over the past four years

Table of Contents

Key statistics
Country overview

Background
Economy

Telecommunications market

Market Overview and Analysis
Regional Asian Market Comparison
Historical Overview

Regulatory environment

Regulatory authority
Government policies

Fixed network operators

Turkmen Telecom

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
Fibre Networks
Satellites

Fixed-line broadband market

Background
Broadband statistics and Forecast

Mobile market

Background
Mobile Statistics and Forecast
Mobile Broadband Statistics and Forecast
Major mobile operators

Operator Statistics
MTS-Turkmenistan
TM Cell (Altyn Asyr)
Asgabat Saher Telefon Ulgamy (ASTU) (New Operator)

Digital Economy

Overview
e-payments
Social Media

Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Country Statistics, Major Operators and Telco Authorities – 2018 (e)
Table 2 – Top Level Country Statistics – 2018 (e)
Table 3 – Fixed lines in service and penetration – 1991 - 2018
Table 4 – Fixed Broadband Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2007 - 2023
Table 5 – Internet users – 1999 - 2017
Table 6 – International internet bandwidth capacity – 2002 - 2017
Table 7 – Mobile Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2008 - 2023
Table 8 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1997 - 2007
Table 9 – Mobile Broadband Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2013 – 2023
Table 10 – Mobile operators and systems
Table 11 – Mobile subscribers by operator and market share - 2018
Table 12 – Percentage of Population Covered by Type of Mobile Network
Table 13 – MTS mobile subscribers – 2005 - 2018
Table 14 – Historic - MTS mobile ARPU – 2004 - 2005; 2008 - 2014
Table 15 – TM Cell mobile subscribers – 2009 - 2018

List of Charts

Chart 3 – Telecoms Maturity Index – Central Asia
Chart 4 – Fixed Broadband Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2007 - 2023
Chart 5 – Mobile Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2008 - 2023
Chart 6 – Mobile Broadband Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2013 - 2023

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 2 – Central Asia -Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country

Related Reports

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Focus Report Profile

Technologies

Broadband Fixed
Internet
Mobile Communications (voice and infrastructure)
Strategies & Analyses (Industry & Markets)
Telecoms Infrastructure

Number of pages 56

Status Current

Last updated 18 Mar 2019
Update History

Analyst: Phil Harpur

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