According to Minister of Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev, Kazakhstan is about to sign an agreement with Amazon Kuiper on satellite internet provision. He believes that introducing a Starlink alternative will boost competition in the market, ultimately providing Kazakhstanis with better services.
«We will sign a number of agreements, including one with Amazon Kuiper, a Starlink-like satellite internet technology. By accelerating the competition in this industry, we may provide our citizens with better services at reasonable prices,» Madiyev explained.
Kuiper Systems LLC, a subsidiary of Amazon established in 2019, specializes in developing satellite broadband internet. The Ministry has announced that a memorandum with Amazon is to be signed on Sept. 5, 2024.
Amazon’s subsidiary successfully launched two satellite prototypes last year, with a plan to then produce 3,200 units. The company is looking forward to launching the first serially produced satellites in the second quarter of 2024 and providing commercial services in 2025.
In July, Kursiv.media reported that 1,729 schools in Kazakhstan were connected to the satellite internet powered by Starlink.
The price of a Starlink terminal is $2,500 and the monthly subscription fee is around $290, which means that connecting 2,000 rural schools to Starlink’s internet would cost Kazakhstan $5 million.
