Trans-Eurasian Information Super Highway Project to establish major new transit route between Europe and Asia, ITU

An information about the Trans-Eurasian Information Super Highway project (Tasim) has been included into the report “The State of Broadband 2012: Achieving digital inclusion for all” published by ITU’s Broadband Commission for Digital Development in September.

According to the report, the Trans-Eurasian Information Super Highway Project (TASIM) aims at improving the international Internet connectivity of central Eurasia and establishing a major new transit route between Europe (Frankfurt) and Asia (Hong-Kong).

As it is noted, TASIM will provide a regional Tier 1 backbone network, improving the global topology for Tier 1 backbone networks. This international infrastructure project will improve connection speeds and reduce access costs, delivering long-term economic and social benefits for the whole region and remote, underdeveloped areas of Eurasia in particular. Developed countries will benefit through improved connectivity for their operating companies abroad, enabling effective provision of multimedia and cloud computing services to fast-growing Eurasian markets.

Azerbaijan proposed the establishment of TASIM in November 2008. In December 2009, the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly adopted a Resolution on the Transnational Eurasian Information Super Highway (A/res/64/186). Major regional telecom operators, representing Azerbaijan, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkey and the EU have been in talks on establishing a commercial TASIM consortium since 2010, with several milestone framework documents having been signed.

The TASIM project benefits from the support and collaboration of governments, businesses and international organizations alike (including ITU, UNDP, UNDESA, UN SPECA, UN ESCATO, BSEC, RCC, OIC, and the EC/Eastern Partnership). The Eurasian Connectivity Alliance, coordinated by the ITU, will help realize the synergies of governments, private sector and international organizations in expanding broadband backbone and access networks.

It should be emphasized that the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies of Azerbaijan provided information about TASIM to Broadband Commission for Digital Development of ITU.