Tag: internet

Launch of the Suusamyr Net Community Network

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On November 23, 2018, with the support of the Internet Society in the village of Suusamyr, Chui oblast, the project “Suusamyr Net” was launched.

This initiative aims to provide Internet access to residents of the Suusamyr Valley, expanding opportunities and increasing access to information.

In a mountainous country, more than half of the population lives far from big cities and modern technologies. Less than 40 percent of the country’s population has access to the Internet. Such a project allows realizing the idea of digital transformation of the country.

Internet Society began work on the promotion of the Internet in the remote villages of the country in 2017. A round table was held on the Internet connection in remote areas of Kyrgyzstan. This project is the first of its kind in Central Asia. Building a public Internet provider in the village of Suusamyr will also allow you to gain experience in connecting remote areas and help identify obstacles to creating public providers. The budget of the pilot project in Suusamyr is $ 35,000 provided by the Internet grant program of the Society “Beyond the Net”.

This pilot project consists of two phases:

1. Conducting the Internet in the village Suusamyr.
The optimal solution for the implementation of the first stage was the use of radio relay transmitters.
At a distance of 23 km from the village there is a connection point (gas station Gazprom) to the fiber-optic highway Elkat. Due to the lack of direct visibility, the radio bridge was built of two spans.
The first span from the gas station Gazprom to Tokiluu, distance 6km.
Second span from Tokiluu to Suusamyr 18km distance.
At the moment, it was possible to achieve a channel with 90 Mbps speed. In the future it is planned to double the width of the channel.

2. Construction of a network inside the village.
The Community Network infrastructure is based on GEPON technology. The main feature is high – connection speed, up to 1000 Mbps. Such a reserve of speed will allow to delay the need to upgrade equipment for many years, providing an extremely high level of services.

Local residents were involved in the construction of the network. So welders for metal welded fixtures on which wires were hung. Local electricians hung fiber optic cables on power poles. Several people were trained to work with a special welding machine for optical fiber and work with subscriber equipment.

Preliminary results of the project:
The use of modern technology has reduced the cost of the project. The involvement of local people in the creation of a community network has strengthened the future of the project.
So the subscriber connection is 4000 soms, which is equal to the cost of equipment and necessary work.
The monthly fee is 650 soms with a tariff of 5 Mbps for the first 50 subscribers. The network is capable of receiving up to 250 subscribers. With an increase in subscribers, the monthly subscription fee will significantly decrease, dividing all monthly network expenses equally among subscribers.

At the request of residents, it is also planned to introduce the possibility of connecting IP television with 100 channels, which will cost an additional 200 soms per month, and the purchase of a TV box for 2000 soms will be necessary.

After the successful launch of a Community Network in the village of Suusamyr, the project will be scaled to all regions of the country. This will include training of interested communities on the example of a pilot project, assistance in designing, building and launching Community Networks.

For more information on the project you can contact the coordinators:
Erzhigit Imamov responsible for the technical part of the project.
[email protected], +996779880422.
Isabek Asanbayev project coordinator [email protected], +996556552247.

Launch of the Internet Traffic Exchange Point of the Fergana Valley.

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The Public Association “Kyrgyz Chapter of the Internet Society” launches one of its first and most ambitious projects, the Internet Traffic Exchange Point of the Ferghana Valley.
The project was made possible by a grant from Beyond the Net, the Internet Society. The Ferghana Valley Internet Traffic Exchange Point Project (FVIXP) is the installation of an internet traffic exchange point (IXP) in the city of Osh, in southern Kyrgyzstan, which will significantly reduce the cost and speed up the Internet for all residents of the Fergana Valley.

The equipment of the Internet Traffic Exchange Point of the Fergana Valley is installed and works in Kyrgyztelecom Osh city. All Internet providers operating in the city of Osh can connect to the internet traffic exchange point. The first participant to join was UniLink LLC. Connecting to an Internet traffic exchange point allows you to establish peer-to-peer interaction between participants with lower costs and greater efficiency regarding the organization of pairwise physical joints. The effectiveness of IXP increases with the number of connected participants.
According to ITU 2014, Central Asia has one of the lowest Internet penetration levels in Europe and  Asia. In regional terms, Internet prices for residents of the Fergana Valley are higher than for residents of other administrative districts. For example, Internet tariffs in southern cities are 5 times higher (13USD) for the same capacity as in Bishkek, located in the north of Kyrgyzstan. Tajikistan, which primarily depends on Kyrgyzstan, has an even more serious situation. The national Internet service provider Tojnet provides an unlimited tariff of 1Mb for $ 45. The situation in Uzbekistan is even worse. Uzbekistan’s exclusive Internet provider provides Internet in cities located in the Fergana Valley, at a price of $ 59 for 10 GB of daily Internet and unlimited night traffic.
Considering the aforementioned situation, the Internet traffic exchange point in the valley will remove barriers to connection and will stimulate improved access.
Fergana Valley IXP (FVIXP) will adhere to the principles of openness and neutrality, ensuring equal access to infrastructure for all stakeholders, including government agencies, educational and health institutions, as well as commercial banks. IXP will help local small and medium-sized providers to reduce costs for traffic, and will allow you to spend more on infrastructure than on the purchase of Internet traffic.
There are two IXPs in the north of Kyrgyzstan. The old IXP is closed to new members and therefore new ISPs cannot join. The second IXP is open, but also located in the city of Bishkek.
In the case of line breaks due to farmers, communication is lost throughout the region. Subscribers cannot forward messages to each other. Millions of subscribers remain waiting for the repair of communication on the line.
Any message that is generated by users comes to the data exchange center in Bishkek and returns to Osh again. This is a millisecond, but not very logical and costly process. Thus, the lines between Bishkek and Osh become overloaded.
At the same time, many Bishkek Internet providers can not profit from developing the Internet infrastructure in the regions, including the southern regions.
FVIXP opens up possibilities for building a digital silk road. Taking into account the connection of the junction with China, new junctions with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Osh is becoming a key city in the development of digital infrastructure.

Creating an IXP would greatly enhance the value of the regional economy. According to Terabit Consulting, “Improving ICT infrastructure produces: an increase in demand for products from other industries (demand multiplier), new production opportunities in other industries (supply multiplier), new products and services for consumers (final demand), increased innovative capabilities of firms and increase the likelihood of new products, innovations and organizations. “

Ferghana Valley IXP

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ISOC Kyrgyz Chapter is implementing one of its first major projects thanks to Beyond the Net grant from ISOC. Ferghana Valley Internet Exchange Point (FVIXP) Project will install an IXP in Osh city in the south of Kyrgyzstan, which will result in a much cheaper internet for all the residents of Ferghana Valley.

Ferghana Valley located on crossroads of three countries is the most populated area in Central Asia, the source of regional inter-ethnic tensions due to water and land irrigation disputes, poverty and lack of access to communication services. Internet Exchange Point Project with location in Osh city (Kyrgyzstan) is aimed to increase regional cross-border collaboration between stakeholders and communication of people through increase of Internet affordability by lowering internet tariff plans up to 3 times, multiply growth of Internet traffic exchange in region, increase Internet penetration rate due to price reduction, and improve latency for international and regional content sources.

Ferghana Valley located at the crossroads of three countries of Central Asia: Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan are in top 10 regions with highest population density in the world. Over 14 million people (2014) reside in 22,000 square kilometers (approximately 636 persons per square km). The region is known for land and water disputes, inter-ethnic conflicts. There is a huge income disparity between administrative capitals of the Stans and regional dwelling communities in Ferghana Valley.

Central Asia has one of the lowest internet penetration rates per capita in Europe and Central Asian region, according to ITU 2014. One of the key regions that illustrate state of the regional digital divide is Ferghana Valley. In regional perspective Internet prices for Ferghana valley dwellers are higher than for residents of other administrative districts. For example, Internet tariff plans in southern cities are 5 times higher (13USD) for the same traffic bandwidth than that in Bishkek located in the North of Kyrgyzstan. Tajikistan, which primarily depends on Internet transit of Russian content from Kyrgyzstan, has an even more severe situation. National ISP Tojnet provides 1Mb unlimited tariff for as low as 45USD. The situation in Uzbekistan is even worse. Uzbekistan ISP monopoly company provides Internet in cities located in Ferghana valley for the price of 59USD for 10GB of the daily Internet and unlimited night traffic.

Considering above mentioned situation we believe establishing Internet Exchange Point in the valley will alleviate the digital divide between the north and south of Kyrgyzstan as well as between the bordering countries by removing barriers for connectivity and stimulating better access.

Internet Exchange Point is a physical location where different stakeholders who have ASN meet to exchange local traffic via a switch. Kyrgyzstan is one of the countries where Ferghana Valley is spread. There are several closed IXPs based in Bishkek (ISP, banks). Unlike present IXPs that could not be neutral and open for new members by Charter, Ferghana Valley IXP (FVIXP) will follow principles of openness and neutrality by providing equal access to infrastructure to all stakeholders, including Government agencies, educational and healthcare institutions as well as commercial banks. IXP will help local small and medium ISP to minimize traffic costs, spend more on infrastructure rather than on internet traffic purchase.

Establishing IXP would greatly enhance the utility and value of the regional Internet and promote the growth of the digital economy. According to Terabit Consulting, “Improvement in ICT infrastructure yields: Increased demand for the output of other industries (demand multiplier), New opportunities for production in other industries (supply multiplier), new goods and services for consumers (final demand). It also increases firms’ innovation capabilities and increases the probability of new products, innovations, and organizations.”

 

Video report about workshop on wireless internet

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Video report on the workshop on network communities on creating access in remote and rural areas, organized by the Kyrgyz branch of the Internet community on April 25, 2017.

Thank you very much to our speakers:
Maarit Palovirta, senior Manager, regional issues of the Internet Community in Europe;
Osama Manzar, founder and Director of Digital Empowerment Foundation;
Ucha Seturi, Director of NGO “Association of small and medium business operators of Georgia”.

Vicente Guayart, chief architect of Barcelona on May 13 at 14:00 in the large assembly hall of the KRSU

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Modern technologies have a great impact on the development of cities, changing their physical appearance, social environment, ways of communication between people, types of mobility, as well as a city management system. Our way of life, approaches to urban planning and construction will be different. Which ones? How and where will these changes occur?

Vicente Guayart, the chief architect of Barcelona, will answer these and other questions at his lecture on May 13 at 14:00 in the large assembly hall of the KRSU (44, Kievskaya Street).

“Internet Development Perspectives in Kyrgyz Republic” Central Asian symposium

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On December 10, 2014, the national Institute for strategic studies of the Kyrgyz Republic (NISI KR) and the Internet Society (ISOC), together with the National center for information technology and the Central Asian research and education network CAREN, held the Central Asian Internet Symposium “Prospects for the development of the Internet in the Kyrgyz Republic”.

Such a conference was held in Central Asia for the first time. The Symposium was attended by recognized professionals in the field of modern information technology from Europe and Kyrgyzstan. There was a video message from Vint CERF, one of the” fathers of the Internet ” (co-inventor of the Internet Protocol (IP)) and co-founder of ISOC. As well as speeches by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic, heads of ISOC, the world Bank, Google employee, who is a native of Kyrgyzstan, representatives of government agencies and public organizations of the Kyrgyz Republic.

In addition, the event was held live online and the performances of the participants could be followed from around the world. This is a great opportunity to follow the work of the Symposium in real time. To do this, you had to go to the next link for the live stream http://new.livestream.com/internetsociety/Bishkek2014

It should be noted that ISOC has declared its readiness to cooperate with Kyrgyzstan in order to stimulate the development of the Internet here.  According to ISOC Regional Director Frederic Donk: “ISOC looks forward to working with NISI and other local stakeholders to further develop the Internet in the Kyrgyz Republic and wishes to share best practices across the region.”

In turn, the Director of NISI Talant Sultanov noted: “the Kyrgyz Republic has all the prerequisites for the development of the knowledge economy: an educated population, a free political regime and a favorable economic climate. Our goal is to become a high-tech hub for online communication and virtual service movement. We look forward to working with ISOC on projects that will support this goal and bring great benefits to the citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic.”

The Symposium program was aimed at creating a platform for economic growth, creating an enabling environment for local development, and building a sustainable Internet infrastructure. More information is available here: http://www.internetsociety.org/events/central-asian-internet-symposium-bishkek-2014