Tajikistan’s civil society considers that further rise in Internet prices will affect activities of educational facilities and government bodies and will negatively impact international cooperation.
The civil society of the country calls on the Antimonopoly Agency under the Government of Tajikistan to observe Constitutional rights of citizens and cancel a decision on raising Internet prices.
Nine public organizations intend to sign an appeal to the Antimonopoly Agency today.
The appeal, in particular, notes that the rise in Internet prices will restrict citizens’ access to information and impede the provision of decent living conditions and free development of the state.
According to the appeal, the rise in Internet prices will affect activities of educational facilities and government bodies and will negatively impact international cooperation.
The Civil Initiative on Internet Policy, Association of Mobile Operators, Independent Center for Human Rights Protection, National Association of Independent Media of Tajikistan (Nansmit) and some other organizations are expected to sign the appeal today.
Recall, the Antimonopoly Agency announced in early March that as of March 27, mobile telecommunication services providers will be able to sell online data for no less than 0.05 somoni per megabyte and the price for one minute of mobile international call, including NGN communications, will amount to no less than 1.00 somoni (taxes not included).
The March 4 order was justified by the law of supply and demand. The Antimonopoly Agency said mobile operators would now be in a position to provide better online speeds.
Current price for one gigabyte of mobile Internet is 30-35 somoni and it will rise to 62 somoni (18% VAT and 5% excise tax included) on March 27.
Meanwhile, Tajikistan’s internet continues to get slower, ranking among the worst in the world. Beginning from last year, all Internet traffic is required to pass through Tojiktelecom.
Internet service providers (ISPs) in Tajikistan say they now receive Internet from Tojiktelecom at the rate of 51,000 U.S. dollars per gigabit (VAT not included). For comparison, Tajik ISPs had earlier received Internet from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan at the rate ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 U.S. dollars per gigabit.
