According to the new report of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) number of Internet users increase in the world, but 37 percent of population of the world has no access to it yet. “While almost two-thirds of the world's population is now online, there is a lot more to do to get everyone connected to the Internet," said ITU Secretary General Houlin Zhao. “ITU will work with all parties to make sure that the building blocks are in place to connect the remaining 2.9 billion.

The expert state, that measures undertaken during the pandemic, promote increase of the number of internet connections. For two years increase of the network users made up 17 percent. Many were forced to connect because it was the only way to study, work, receive news and pay utility bills. Number of internet users in the world increased by more than 10 percent in the first year of pandemic, that is the largest annual growth over ten years. At that, according to experts, the new connections took place in the developing countries.

Development of modern communication and telecommunication, extension of access to internet and digital services in Turkmenistan are considered as an important condition of the general socio-economic progress of the country. The International Exhibition and Conference on Telecommunications, Telemetry, Information Technologies and TV and Radio Broadcasting Equipment, which is held every year in our country, demonstrates the achievements and development prospects of this branch. Speaking at the 14^th International conference «Turkmentel–2021», which was held last November, the chairman of «Türkmenaragatnaşyk» Agency H. Hudatgulyev stressed, that the initiated by the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov digital transformation of the national economy provides creation of conditions for the operative operational data exchange, which requires the use of high-speed broadband communication networks and the internet.

The «Türkmenaragatnaşyk» Agency together with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) realizes a number of projects of total amount 273 million US dollars. Due to them, it is planned to provide all territory of Turkmenistan with the qualitative mobile communications, significantly reduce tariffs for Internet services to expand access to information resources of the global network.

For increasing number of the internet users, the National internet provider “Altyn Asyr” pursues a policy of regular lower prices for population. Thus, beginning from February of this year, the operators of telecommunication of Turkmenistan significantly reduce tariffs for Internet services, that allows to considerably extend access to the global net. For the purpose to improve quality of the telecommunication services, increase the speed of data transmission, a fiber-optic cable was laid in Ashgabat and in all velayats. Taking into account the growing demands of the population, the operators plan to enter the full and widespread provision of Turkmenistan with mobile communications, including 4G, and in nearest future 5G, high-speed internet and other mobile communication services. Also, work is underway to expand and modernize the multiservice data transmission network.

Along with provision of the wide access to the global web, great importance is attached to expanding the range and quality of communication services for the population. Thus, in the public places of Ashgabat city and velayats the access points to unlimited wireless Internet are installed TM Wi-Fi, and the coverage area of Wi-Fi networks in Turkmenistan is constantly expanding.. recently, the Telecommunication company «Turkmentelekom» reported that in Lebap velayat more than 10 access point to TM Wi-Fi are installed. An interactive map with locations where Wi-Fi works and tariffs for unlimited Wi-Fi TM in public places has been published on the official website of the company.