Expert: internet quite developed in Armenia but now available to provinces – arkatelecom.am

YEREVAN, October 9. /ARKA/. Internet development in Armenia is quite high, but its availability to provinces is still not sufficient, Igor Mkrtumyan, head of the Internet Society nongovernmental organization, said in an interview with ARKA News Agency.

“Penetration rate is high thanks to Internet prices and coverage of fiber-optic cables, which are now widely used Armenia’s all provinces,” he said adding that even so-called last mine problem is already solved by applying wireless technologies.

Mkrtumyan said the problem is people’s low purchasing power, not the price.

The Internet access offered by providers is quite affordable, he said, prices are not high and they vary, therefore it is possible to choose a convenient price, but Internet is not among provincial residents’ top priorities, since they have more important expenses, and their low living standers don’t allow them to afford Internet.    

The expert said there is a social category, to which very low prices should be offered.

He said that unlike border areas’ residents, people in Yerevan are able to bay their Internet bills.

Mkrtumyan finds it necessary to offer special prices for these areas’ residents and Internet penetration rate will immediately rise in provinces.

According to Internet Society nongovernmental organization’s figures, Internet penetration rate is 56.9% in Armenia. This indicator is higher in Yerevan – 60.5% and lower in provinces – 48%.

Internet penetration rates in Kotayk and Ararat provinces are quite high – 58.6% and 53.1% respectively. —-0—

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