Mobile operators report increase in demand for internet services in Kazakhstan

The telecommunication market has grown by 8.5% / Photo: Shutterstock

Over the period from January to July 2023, the total amount of communications services provided in Kazakhstan grew by 8.5% compared to the same period last year and reached $1.5 billion, according to the Bureau of the National Statistics.

The amount of internet communication services grew by 17.6% on a year-on-year basis to $693 million, network services grew by 9.9% to $68,199, cable and satellite TV by 11.2% to $63,549, while other telecommunication services grew by 8.6% to $314,425. There are 2.9 million wired internet subscribers In Kazakhstan, a 4.9% increase over the period from January to July 2022.

However, the amount of mobile communication services (cellular, radio and satellite phones and some devices for trunk communication) has declined by 5.6% to $319 million. Cellular communication services account for the vast majority of this sum – $317 million (-5.3% on a year-on-year basis). National long-distance calls and international calls dropped by 12.8% to $21,035, while internal traffic declined by 2% to $36,978. The number of fixed telephone lines has shrunk by 6.4% to 27 million units. As of August 1, there were 24.7 million subscribers for mobile communication services, a 0.2% increase. Currently, there are 17.7 million people in Kazakhstan, who have internet access, a 4.5% increase over the same period last year.

More than half of all communication services (55%) were consumed by individuals, an 8.2% increase over the period from January to July 2022. In terms of money, this was $840 million. Kazakhstanis demonstrated the highest demand for wired and wireless internet services (58.8%), followed by cellular services (26%). The cities of Almaty and Astana, along with the Karaganda region were the places that consumed the most communication services in Kazakhstan.

In January-July 2023, the demand for postal and courier services was 28.9% higher than the same period of 2022. The total amount of these services reached $93 million.