BUILDING MOMENTUM

During the past several years, Armenia has made significant progress toward a more active telecommunications market. New internet service providers, wireless and landline infrastructure companies, and a new mobile phone operator have entered the market. Broadband wireless services have proliferated nationwide and IP-based telephony and television services have come online. Yet network reliability and performance are not up to world standards, and prices are high compared to international and regional benchmarks.

WIRING THE COUNTRY

The Broadband Armenia project is a major new initiative which aims to leverage the momentum of network penetration and lay the foundation for ubiquitous, reliable and affordable internet in Armenia. Broadband Armenia will extend high performance internet infrastructure to the regions, will develop public-private partnership models to mobilize financing, and will create an even playing field for providers of content, applications and services. It is part of a larger project for the promotion of an electronic society in Armenia.

STRENGTHENING INTERNATIONAL LINKS

One of the goals of the project is to build more robust links with interna-tional backbones in partnership with one or more telecommunications companies. This initiative will increase the reliability of Armenia's internet connectivity. It will also create more competition among internet providers, lowering prices to corporate and household consumers. As a result, Armenia will be more competitive in attracting foreign companies, exporting services, and promoting knowledge economy entrepreneurship.

OPENING THE NETWORK

One of the strategic goals of the Broadband Armenia Project is to unbundle infrastructure ownership from the provision of internet-based services. This will be achieved through a combination of appropriate regulatory policies and legislation, coupled with significant investment in last mile infrastructure and redundant backbone networks. The resulting competitive environment will lead to lower prices, improved services and new business opportunities.

PARTNERING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR

Much of the investment required to deploy these new high-performance networks will be mobilized through partnerships with private companies willing to comply with open regulations and standards regarding market-based pricing, service levels and open access. An independent consulting firm is currently providing assistance in developing these standards and appropriate public-private partnership models, in addition to an analysis of spectrum availability, digitalization of television broadcasting, and the deployment of a comprehensive government intranet as a basis for e-government services.

PROMOTING AN ELECTRONIC SOCIETY

A set of related projects is being implemented in parallel with Broadband Armenia in order to maximize its impact on the promotion of an electronic society. The PC for All project makes personal computers available to the public through installment plans backed by Government loan guarantees. The Secure ID project is building a public electronic identification and signature system for online transactions. A Ministry of Education project is deploying computer labs to schools. And an e-government services initiative will begin migrating basic publicfacing government functions online.

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENTERPRENEURSHIP

Significant new markets will become accessible to Armenian en-trepreneurs due to the new national network and higher quality interna-tional connectivity. Coupled with more affordable, high quality broadband connection, this access to new markets will create opportunities for entrepreneurship. A special program is being created to provide seed capital and venture funding to innovative business ventures that will emerge as a result of the Broadband Armenia initiative.