The former Soviet Republic Turkmenistan plans to construct a fiber optic network to connect to Azerbaijan. Fiber optic cable network will be installed through the Caspian Sea. The network is named Turkmenbashi-Baku fiber optic line, which will provide better connectivity and communication services to the people in both countries.
New fiber optic connection will boost network deployments in both Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan while ensuring enhanced connectivity with European and Asian countries. Media reports from Turkmenistan suggest that a report on the measures was submitted at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan.
Agreements for the construction of the fiber optic network to connect the countries were reached during the second meeting of the Turkmen-Azerbaijani commission for economic cooperation in Baku in November 2010. Contracts signed by the Turkmen Ministry of Communications indicate some of the existing connections to the fiber optic communication systems to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Afghanistan.
The news for fiber optic line connecting through Caspian comes at a time when Turkmenistan plans to launch its first national satellite this year. Both Satellite and terrestrial fiber optic lines will make a significant breakthrough in the field of telecommunication and other applications such as the Internet, mobile communication in Turkmenistan.
Azerbaijan has entered the space club by launching Azerspace-1, the country’s first telecommunication satellite two years ago. Azerbaijan is also planning for a massive scale deployment of fiber optic cables in the country to provide high-speed broadband services to its citizens. Though the project has been delayed, it is expected to start soon as the funds have already been allocated. Azerbaijan had got the country’s first fiber optic cable manufacturing company STP in Sumqayit that will help the country’s telecom operators and service providers to get fiber optic cables. Having a fiber optic cable company will help in quicker execution of projects once launched.
The TASIM project, which Azerbaijan had also taken initiation, is a major transit link from Frankfurt to Hong Kong. This network will connect major centers of data exchange in Europe and Asia together, stretching through China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and Germany. A reserve North transit line will pass through Russia, Ukraine, and Poland. One of the main plans for the implementation of the TASIM project is the construction of the Caspian segment of TASIM, which will connect the largest information exchange centers of Europe and Asia.
All these fiber optic network projects coming up in the region and connecting former Soviet Republics will boost internet traffic while creating jobs to the public and giving supply opportunity for international fiber optic product suppliers. Business in the telecommunication sector will increase in the region. Telecom product and service suppliers can look for both Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan for potential opportunities.
