The history of communication in Azerbaijan goes back to antiquity. Thus, as far as back 1303, Gazan Khan implemented reforms in the postal sphere in order to save the state of the Hulagu from the economic and political crisis. However, the foundation of postal communication at the state level was laid in 1501 by Shah Ismail Khatai, the head of the Safavids state.
On December 6, 1881 the Nobel Brothers Society in Azerbaijan officially commissioned the first telephone line. Thus, at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries in Baku, along with the rapidly developing oil industry, telephone communication also developed, as a result of which a wide telephone network was created for that period.
December 6, which is essential for the communications sector, has been celebrated for 13 years as a professional holiday of communications and information technology workers in accordance with the Order of our esteemed President Ilham Aliyev.
Undoubtedly, the development of communications in Azerbaijan is associated with the name of the national leader Heydar Aliyev. A number of important decisions on the development of communications were adopted during that period, which covers the first stage of great leader Heydar Aliyev’s leadership in the republic.
The development of communication, electronic equipment and telecommunication technologies in Azerbaijan gained wide scope during Heydar Aliyev’s second term leadership in the republic. It is thanks to his attention, the first foreign investments in the country’s economy were made in the field of telecommunications.
Creation of ICT infrastructure in Azerbaijan
After the election of our esteemed President, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, who won the trust of the people, continues the political course of Heydar Aliyev worthily, a new stage in the development of Azerbaijan has begun. Against the background of rapidly developing high technologies, the Ministry of Communications was abolished and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies (MCIT) was created on its basis. This was a landmark event in terms of the possibility of further development of this industry, the use of modern information and communication technologies by every citizen of the country. Over the past period, much work has been done and important steps have been taken in this direction.
Expanding the role of ICT in building a high-tech and competitive economy in our country, upgrading the infrastructure and carrying out economic and organizational reforms in the field will help turn Azerbaijan into a country of information transit. To this end, practical work is carried out on several promising projects. Among them are projects for the development of the space industry, the launch of next telecommunications satellites into orbit, the Trans-Eurasian Information Super Highway (TASIM), which will connect the countries of Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia to the historic Silk Road.
Period of new technologies
The relevant Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev dated January 12, 2018 “On some measures to improve management in the field of transport, communications and high technologies” created great opportunities for the effective implementation of management and public policy in this area.
The field of information and communication technologies, the most dynamically developing in the world, is a priority area in our republic as well, is always received special attention from the state. The National Strategy for the Development of the Information Society in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2014-2020 and the Strategic Roadmap for the Development of Telecommunication and Information Technologies in the Republic of Azerbaijan set specific goals for the development of this sphere. For the first 9 months of this year, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies has done some work in this direction and projects have been implemented.
The implementation of a large-scale project on the application of new technologies in the telecommunications network of the regions in the northern, western and southern areas was launched. The new stations to be constructed within the project will provide one million users with modern telecommunication services.
Projects are being implemented in Baku, such as GPON, which provides three services through a single line - telephone, Internet and television, and LTE, based on new wireless technologies.
As a result of the work done, more than 80 percent of the population is Internet users. To ensure a more convenient access to the Internet in public places for the population and tourists, “public Wi-Fi” has been commissioned in 20 parks of Baku.
Over the first 9 months of this year, investment in the ICT sector increased by 69 percent compared to the similar period last year and amounted to 225 million manat. And sector revenues increased from 1.1 billion manat to 1.2 billion manat, the earnings-growth rate was 7.7 percent.
It should be noted that during the reporting period in our country, the total capacity of international Internet channels was increased to 820 gigabits. To ensure the reliability and security of international voice traffic, this year three spare systems of the International Telephone Station were commissioned.
The widespread use of ICT, the increase in the volume of information exchange, the preservation of information in a single center in a secure environment led to the creation of a data center in the country. It is gratifying that a data center meeting the safest and up-to-date standards in the region has been established in Azerbaijan. To improve the security of information storage in the existing data center, construction of a backup data center was launched in the city of Yevlakh.
In our country, the widespread use of “Open Government Data” has begun, an Open Government Data Portal has been created. During the reporting period, the number of open data on the portal increased to 655.
This year, a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of mutual recognition of electronic signature was signed with the Republic of Turkey.
Advanced service model and support to innovations
In order to provide better service to the population in the telecommunications, postal and other areas, Shebeke service centers have been established. Their number in Baku and regions has reached 9. By the way, the 9th center was commissioned today on the territory of the Baku International Bus Terminal. This project will continue in the future.
A new single Call Center has been created for efficient and high-quality provision of citizens’ appeals in the telecommunications and postal areas.
Azerbaijani post started acting as an international transit postal center. Within the framework of the project, e-commerce products ordered in China are delivered to Azerbaijan, processed by Azerpost as transit mail and delivered to over 20 countries of the world. Postal transport is carried out through the airlines Silk Way and AZAL.
A new alternative TV tower, Ganjlik has been commissioned to ensure high-quality and uninterrupted broadcasting of TV and radio programs in Baku and the Absheron peninsula.
One of the key activities is to increase interest in the ICT field and support the transformation of innovative ideas of young people into the business. For this purpose, the State Fund for Development of Information Technologies under the Ministry has allocated grants in total to 117 projects in 6 competitions and provides preferential loans to business entities. Furthermore, since the beginning of this year, 25 startups have been accepted to the Business Incubation Center, created by the High-Tech Park of the Ministry.
The issuance of travel grants to startups and innovative projects has begun since the beginning of this year. Travel grants are given to creators of startup projects operating in the Republic of Azerbaijan, with the view of participating in investment-oriented international startup events abroad and organizing visits for meetings with foreign investors.
Within the framework of cooperation between the High Tech Park and Mars Academy “Robitics” courses were organized for schoolchildren.
Work has begun on the creation of a new Innovation Center meeting the modern standards under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies. At the same time, by the relevant Presidential Decree, the creation of the Agency for Innovations under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies was initiated.
Since 2001, Azerbaijan has been a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The first nuclear sterilization facility in the region has been created in our country.
Our high rates based on international ratings
Promotion rate in the field in international rankings for 2018 attracts particular attention.
Thus, Azerbaijan ranks 69th place among 140 countries of the world in the global competitiveness index in the World Competitiveness Report 2018 of the World Economic Forum.
In the “Favorable Environment” section of the report, Azerbaijan is at the 58th position on the “Institutes” indicator, on the “Infrastructure” indicator – 46th position, and in terms of the level of ICT use – 69th.
Besides, Azerbaijan ranks 97th in the section on ICT use by the number of mobile subscribers for every 100 people, by the number of mobile broadband users for every 100 people – 88th, by the number of fixed broadband internet subscribers per 100 people – 53th, in terms of users of fiber-optic Internet for every 100 people - 55th, in terms of Internet users - 36th place. In terms of Internet users, our country takes the lead in the CIS.
Along with this, in terms of the indicator “Dynamicity of Business” in the section “Innovative Ecosystem”, Azerbaijan ranks 31st place among 140 countries of the world, the Innovative Potential sub-indicator - 71st.
The International Innovation Week was held for the first time in Azerbaijan this year.
On October 26-30, within the framework of a project carried out by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies together with Heydar Aliyev Center, an acquaintance with the latest innovations in the field of high technologies, innovations, conferences, forums, and competitions were organized, a robot Sophia was brought to Baku, considered the most advanced artificial intelligence in the world.
The project “Knowledge Economy: Azerbaijan’s Innovation Roadmap” was presented at the main event of the Innovation Week, organized by the United Nations Development Programme with the support of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on the creation of the first laboratory of the “Internet of Things” in our country. The memorandum was signed between the Information and Communication Technologies Applying and Training Center LLC Center under the Ministry, and Microsoft Azerbaijan.
The winners of the national final of startup tours “From Idea to Business” were also determined during this week.
It should be noted that during 7 months more than 2 thousand people took part in the startup tours held in some cities and regions of the country. In general, 75 teams took part in the tours, 15 of which qualified for the participation in the national final. In conclusion, 3 projects became winners of the republican tour.
The winners of the national finals were able to present their projects at the 24th Azerbaijan International Telecommunications, Innovations and High Technologies Exhibition and Conference Bakutel-2018.
It should, by the way, be noted that this year the exhibition Bakutel-2018 coincides with the celebration of the professional day of workers in the field of communications and information technologies.
The exhibition and conference continues today.
The participation of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, their daughters Leyla Aliyeva and Arzu Aliyeva on December 4 at the Bakutel-2018, the 24th Azerbaijan International Telecommunications, Innovations and High Technologies Exhibition and Conference at the Baku Expo Center enhances the authority of the exhibition.
230 companies from 20 countries are participating in this year’s exhibition, 10 countries - the USA, Turkey, Belarus, the United Arab Emirates, France, Italy, Poland, Croatia, Iran, Slovenia - are represented by their national pavilions.
The subordinate structures and enterprises of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies will present services and solutions, the projects they implement in this national pavilion.
The pavilion demonstrates projects implemented in the field of telecommunications, postal services, high technologies, including nanotechnologies, electronic signature infrastructure, data center cloud technology services, and recent achievements, as well as a number of startup projects supported by the ministry.
Along with many local ICT projects, the exhibition also demonstrates international projects in which Azerbaijan is directly involved.
The traditional exhibition will be something much more than a demonstration of achievements in the field of ICT. The exhibition plays the role of a global platform for the formation of business conferences, perspective cooperation, new aspects of the digital future.
Today, Azerbaijan is one of the few countries represented in both the Council and the Radio Regulations Board of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which is an indicator of the country’s growing authority against the background of work being done in the ICT sector. This year, Azerbaijan became one of the 48 countries represented on the ITU Council with 119 votes in favor at the Plenipotentiary Conference of the Union, which is held every 4 years. Our country was re-elected to the Council a second time. In addition, in the elections to the ITU Radio Regulations Board, the candidate from our country won for the first time. This is a great success for our country, which has been a member of ITU since 1992.
The work carried out and our country’s growth in popularity in international reports suggests that the country’s leadership creates favorable conditions for turning Azerbaijan into a regional IT center of international importance in the very near future.
It should also be noted that in order to motivate the activities of workers employed in this field, they are periodically awarded honorary titles. The goal of senior officials and representatives of the sector is to bring the development of the high-tech sector to the highest level and turn Azerbaijan into a leading state in the field of ICT, using the conditions created for the responsibilities entrusted to them. Under the instructions of the Head of State, we wish success to all those who work for the sake of this idea in the field. Taking this opportunity, we sincerely congratulate the workers in the field of communications and high technologies on the occasion of their professional holiday!
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