Azerbaijani Communications and IT Ministry announces plans for 2013

As 2013 has been declared the Year of ICT in Azerbaijan, it will be marked by launching Azerspace, the country’s first telecommunication satellite, Azerbaijani Communications and IT Minister Ali Abbasov told media today.
He said the satellite has already been delivered to the cosmodrome at Kourou, and its launch is scheduled for February 7.
The second major project will start this year and lasts for three years. This will be to develop broadband Internet financed by the Azerbaijani State Oil Fund. The main goal of the project is to bring the indices on broadband connections to the level of developed countries.
2013 will be also marked by the transition to digital broadcasting. Analogue broadcasting will be stopped by late 2013.
He stressed that the Ministry’s plans are to ensure the e-government’s portal is developed as a ‘single window’ principle. E-services rendered to citizens will be further expanded together with the ASAN Service centre.
Abbasov added that the decisions taken in 2012 to create regional innovation zones and industrial parks will be developed in 2013.