Minister of Communications: Belarus Has 170,000 Broadband Users

The Belarusian Minister of Communications and Informatisation Nikolai Pantelei says his country now has 170,000 broadband internet users, a penetration rate of 6.3%, out of a total of 2.7 million internet users in the Republic.

According to Belarusian online news portal e-belarus.org, Pantelei told delegates at the opening of the TIBO-2008 conference in Minsk that approximately 95% of the country’s communication networks are based on fibre-optic technology and currently, more than 3.5 million fixed lines are in use, a fixed teledensity of 37.3%. In addition, fixed communications are available to 96% of villages and elsewhere, wireless in the local loop (WiLL) is being used to provide access to more remote areas.

Pantelei says the government’s focus on WiLL technology will continue in 2008 and the number of users taking it will grow by 30,000 during the year. The minister went on to say that internet access services are being provided by more that 150 companies, including the state-owned PTO Beltelecom, and there are also more than 100 Wi-Fi access points across the country.