Uzbektelecom, Uzbekistan’s state-owned telecommunications operator, has signed a new infrastructure agreement with four Japanese firms – NEC, Internet Initiative Japan (IJJ), NTT and Toyota Tsusho. The agreement will see the firms provide network equipment and services for a wide-reaching initiative under the Digital Uzbekistan 2030 digital economy programme.
The government of the country is pushing the Digital Uzbekistan 2030 digital economy program in an effort to fulfill the rising data communication demand brought on by the increased digitalization of various industry verticals.
As part of the initiative, Uzbektelecom intends to build new data centers in Bukahara, Kokand, and Tashkent, three of Uzbekistan’s main cities, as well as to increase the capacity and speed of its international data network. This would aid the operator in enhancing service quality and increasing connectivity between rural and urban areas.
As part of the expansion of the transport network and data network, NEC will supply communications hardware for optical wavelength multiplexing as well as training for Uzbektelecom’s operational staff.
Meanwhile, IIJ will provide containerized IT modules, establish the cloud platform, and train the Uzbektelecom data center operational staff.
Toyota Tsusho will export the equipment and act as the project’s overall coordinator, while NTT will provide the vast communication network’s equipment and training for Uzbektelecom’s operating staff.
With funding from the MUFG Bank and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), installation is expected to take place in 2023. According to Nikkei Asia, these organizations will offer Uzbektelecom funding totaling about 19.3 billion yen (US$148 million), of which JBIC will contribute about 60% with MUFG as a co-lender. Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) will provide coverage for the portion of the latter.
