View source for Telecommunications in Azerbaijan

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{| class="wikitable" border="1" width="300" align="right"
|-
! colspan="2" align="center" | Telecommunications <br />Republic of Azerbaijan
|-
| colspan="2" align="center" | [[Image:Flag of Azerbaijan.svg|200px|border]]
|-
| colspan="2" align="center" | [[Image:LocationAzerbaijan.png|280px|border]]
|-
| [[Image:Exquisite-Modem.png|25px]] Landlines (2014):
| 1,820,000<ref name="ReferenceA">[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/azerbaijan/ CIA World Factbook, 2014: Azerbaijan]</ref><ref name="Budde">[http://www.budde.com.au/Research/Azerbaijan-Telecoms-Mobile-Broadband-and-Forecasts.html#sthash.hDXPo0ee.dpuf Azerbaijan - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Forecasts]</ref>
|-
| [[Image:Phone-motorola-v3i.svg|25px]] Mobile lines (2014):
| 11,000,000<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref name="Budde"/>
|-
| [[Country code top-level domain|ccTLD]]:
| [[.az]]
|-
| [[List of country calling codes|Calling code]]:
| +994
|}

'''Telecommunications in Azerbaijan''' provides information about [[television]], [[radio]], [[Landline|fixed]] and [[Mobile phone|mobile]] [[telephone]]s, and the [[Internet]] in [[Azerbaijan]].
The Azerbaijan [[Economy of Azerbaijan|economy]] has been markedly stronger recently and, not surprisingly, the country has been making progress in developing [[Information and communications technology|ICT]] sector. Nonetheless, it still faces problems. These include poor infrastructure and an immature telecom regulatory regime. The [[Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies (Azerbaijan)|Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies of Azerbaijan]] (MCIT), as well as being an operator through its role in [[Aztelekom]], is both a policy-maker and regulator.<ref name="Budde"/><ref name="Mincom">[http://www.mincom.gov.az/fealiyyet/radio-tv-yayimi/ Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies - Radio-TV yayımı] {{in lang|az}}</ref>

==Telephones==
*'''[[Telephone]]s - main lines in use:''' 1,820,000 (2014)<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref name="Budde"/>
:''Country comparison to the world:'' 64<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

*'''Telephones - [[mobile cellular]]:''' 11,000,000 (2014)<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref name="Budde"/>
:''Country comparison to the world:'' 75<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

===Telephone system===
Azerbaijan's telephone system is a combination of old [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] era technology used by Azerbaijani citizens and small- to medium-size commercial establishments, and modern cellular telephones used by an increasing middle class, large commercial ventures, international companies, and most government officials; the average citizen waits on a 200,000-person list for telephone service; Internet and e-mail service are available in all major cities and some remote towns.
<br>''general assessment:''' inadequate; requires considerable expansion and modernization; teledensity of 15 main lines per 100 persons is low; mobile-cellular penetration is increasing and is currently about 50 telephones per 100 persons.
<br>''domestic:'' local - the majority of telephones are in Baku or other industrial centers - about 700 villages still do not have public telephone service; intercity; all long-distance service must use [[Azertel]]'s (Ministry of Communications) lines; satellite service connects Baku to a modern switch in its separated enclave of [[Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic]].
<br>''international:'' the old Soviet system of cable and microwave is still serviceable; satellite service between Baku and [[Turkey]] provides access to 200 countries; additional satellite providers supply services between Baku and specific countries; Azerbaijan is a signator of the Trans-Asia-Europe Fiber-Optic Line (TAE); their lines are not laid but a Turkish satellite and a microwave link between Azerbaijan and [[Iran]] could provide Azerbaijan worldwide access

==Mobile phone==
As of June 2014, [[Azerbaijan]] has 11.0 million subscribers in total, and a 107% penetration rate.<ref name="Budde"/>
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
! style="width:3%;"| Rank !! style="width:15%;"| Operator !! style="width:30%;"| Technology !! style="width:20%;"| Subscribers<br><small>(in millions)</small> !! style="width:32%;"| Ownership
|-
|align=right| 1 || [[Azercell]] || [[GSM]]-900/1800&nbsp;MHz ([[GPRS]], [[Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution|EDGE]])<br>2100&nbsp;MHz [[Universal Mobile Telecommunications System|UMTS]], [[High-Speed Downlink Packet Access|HSDPA]]<br>2600&nbsp;MHz [[LTE (telecommunication)|LTE]] || 5.17 (June 2014)
|| AzInTelecom MMC<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://turan.az/ext/news/2018/3/subsc/economics%20news/en/69653.htm|title="AzInTelecom" buys out a controlling share in "Azercell"|access-date=2018-10-02|archive-date=2018-10-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002102423/http://turan.az/ext/news/2018/3/subsc/economics%20news/en/69653.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|align=right| 2 || [[Bakcell]] || [[GSM]]-900/1800&nbsp;MHz ([[GPRS]], [[Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution|EDGE]])<br>2100&nbsp;MHz [[Universal Mobile Telecommunications System|UMTS]], [[High-Speed Downlink Packet Access|HSDPA]]<br>2600&nbsp;MHz [[LTE (telecommunication)|LTE]] || 3.30 (June 2014)
|| [[Bakcell]]
|-
|align=right| 3 || [[Nar Mobile|Nar]] || [[GSM]]-900/1800&nbsp;MHz ([[GPRS]], [[Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution|EDGE]])<br>2100&nbsp;MHz [[Universal Mobile Telecommunications System|UMTS]], [[High-Speed Downlink Packet Access|HSDPA]]<br>2600&nbsp;MHz [[LTE (telecommunication)|LTE]] || 2.53 (June 2014)
|| [[Azerfon]]
|}

There are three major mobile phone operators currently in Azerbaijan: [[Azercell]], [[Bakcell]] and [[Nar Mobile|Nar]] (Brand of [[Azerfon]]). Azercell, Bakcell and [[Nar Mobile|Nar]] (Brand of [[Azerfon]]) offer 2G, 3G and 4G services. All three networks are widely modern and reliable, with shops located in major towns and cities where one can purchase a sim card or get assistance if needed. Most unlocked mobile phones can be used on roaming, however network charges apply. Azercell, Bakcell and Azerfon are often recommended to tourists due to the variety of tariffs available and the help available in a variety of languages.<ref name="autogenerated3">http://www.akep.al/images/stories/AKEP/statistika/Treguesit-Statistikore-6_Mujori-I-re-2011.pdf{{Dead link|date=February 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Other mobile phone operators include [[Aztelekom]], [[AzEuroTel]], [[Caspian Telecom]] and [[Catel Eurasiacom]].<ref name="Budde"/>

As of June 2014, approximately 95% of all main lines are digitized. The remaining 5% is in the modernization process.<ref name="Budde"/>

===International system===
Azerbaijan is connected to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable, providing international connectivity to the rest of the world. Additionally, the old Soviet system by microwave radio relay and landline connections to other countries of the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] is still available, and by satellite earth stations. The main backbones of Azerbaijani networks are made by E3 or STM-1 lines via microwave units across the whole country with many passive retranslations.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
There are two major private companies in Azerbaijan that connect the country to the global Internet network. These are AzerTelecom and Delta Telekom companies.

==Radio==
As of 2014, Azerbaijan has 9 [[AM broadcasting|AM]] stations, 17 [[FM broadcasting|FM]] stations, and one shortwave station. Additionally, there are approximately 4,350,000 [[radios]] in existence. The primary network provider is the [[Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies (Azerbaijan)|Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies of Azerbaijan]] (MCIT). According to MCIT, the FM radio penetration rate is 97% according to 2014 data.<ref name="Mincom"/>

*'''[[Radio]] broadcast stations:''' 26 (2014)<ref name="Mincom"/> 
**Radio Respublika - FM 105.0&nbsp;[[MHz]]
**İctimai FM  - FM 90&nbsp;MHz
**Naxçıvan Dövlət radiosu (Nakhchivan State Radio) - FM 103&nbsp;MHz
**Naxçıvanın səsi (Voice of Nakhchivan) - FM 103&nbsp;MHz
**ARAZ FM     - FM 103.3&nbsp;MHz
**Radio Enerji (formerly Antenn FM)   - FM 101.1&nbsp;MHz
**[[ANS ChM]] - FM 102&nbsp;MHz
**Avto FM     - FM 107.7&nbsp;MHz
**Azad Azərbaycan FM - FM 106&nbsp;MHz
**Bürc FM FM 100.5&nbsp;MHz
**Kəpəz FM    - FM 90.3&nbsp;MHz
**Lider FM    - FM 107&nbsp;MHz
**Media FM    - FM 105.5&nbsp;MHz
**Space FM    - FM 104&nbsp;MHz
**Xəzər FM    - FM 103&nbsp;MHz
*'''[[Radios]]:''' 175,000 (1997)

==Television==
{{main|Television in Azerbaijan}}
Azerbaijan has a total of 47 [[television channels]], of which 4 are [[public television]] channels and 43 are [[private television]] channels of which 12 are national television channels and 31 regional television channels. According to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies of Azerbaijan (MCIT), the television penetration rate is 99% according to 2014 data.<ref name="Mincom"/> The penetration rate of [[cable television]] in Azerbaijan totaled 28.1% of households in 2013, from a study by the [[State Statistics Committee (Azerbaijan)|State Statistical Committee of the Azerbaijan Republic]]. Almost 39% of the cable television subscriber base is concentrated in major cities. The penetration rate is 59.1% in the city of [[Baku]].<ref>[http://www.telecompaper.com/news/azerbaijan-cable-tv-penetration-reaches-28-in-2013--1024829 Telecompaper - Azerbaijan cable TV penetration reaches 28% in 2013]</ref>

*'''[[Television channels|Television broadcast stations]]:''' 43 (2014)<ref name="Mincom"/>
*'''[[Televisions]]:''' 170,000 (1997)

==Internet==
{{main|Internet in Azerbaijan}}
*'''[[Internet service provider|Internet service providers (ISPs)]]:''' 15 (2005) 29 (2009)
*'''[[Country code]]:''' AZE
*'''[[Internet TLD]]:''' [[.az]]
*'''[[Host (network)|Internet hosts]]:''' 46,856 (2011)<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
:''Country comparison to the world:'' 98<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*'''[[Internet users]]:''' 2.200,000 (2014)<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref name="Budde"/>
:''Country comparison to the world:'' 70<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*'''[[Internet access|Internet penetration]]:''' 77% (2015)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=it_net_user_p2&idim=country:AZE|title = World Development Indicators - Google Public Data Explorer}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies (Azerbaijan)]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
*{{CIA World Factbook}}

==Further reading==
* Sidorenko, Alexey: "The Internet in Azerbaijan" in the [http://www.laender-analysen.de/cad/pdf/CaucasusAnalyticalDigest15.pdf ''Caucasus Analytical Digest No. 15''] 
* Kazimova, Arifa: "Media in Azerbaijan: The Ruling Family Dominates TV, the Opposition Has Some Papers" in the [http://www.laender-analysen.de/cad/pdf/CaucasusAnalyticalDigest25.pdf ''Caucasus Analytical Digest No. 25'']

==External links==
*[http://www.axtaraq.biz/directory/Business/Telecommunications Telecommunication Companies in Azerbaijan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150601025015/http://www.axtaraq.biz/directory/Business/Telecommunications |date=2015-06-01 }}
*[http://www.axtaraq.biz/directory Azerbaijan Companies] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091207104233/http://www.axtaraq.biz/directory/ |date=2009-12-07 }}

{{Azerbaijan topics}}
{{Telecommunications}} 
{{Asia topic|Telecommunications in}}
{{Communications in Europe}}
[[Category:Telecommunications in Azerbaijan| ]]