Uzbekistan, located in Central Asia, is the most populous country in the region with a population of around 35 million. The population distribution is uneven with the majority concentrated in the fertile Fergana Valley in the eastern part of the country, while the western part, the Kyzylkum Desert, is sparsely populated. The capital city, Tashkent, is a hub for technology and telecommunications, hosting the headquarters of Uzbektelecom, the country's largest telecom operator. Infrastructure solutions in Uzbekistan are evolving to accommodate the growing demand for digital technologies, with the introduction of 4G-5G networks in urban centres and major cities. However, rural areas continue to face challenges due to inadequate connectivity and infrastructure. While the renewables sector is still nascent, potential for growth is recognised, particularly in solar power and the demonstrated success of the country's existing hydropower. The Information and Communication Technology (ICT), is experiencing significant growth, though it remains largely concentrated in Tashkent.
Mobile Network Operators
The are 5 companies operating mobile networks in this region.
Unitel LLC trading as Beeline is one of Uzbekistan's largest mobile network operators. Unitel was founded in 1996 and began operations in September 1997. In February 2006 Unitel became a majority owned subsidiary and member of the VEON group of companies (previously known as Vimpelcom), and subsequently rebranded as Beeline.
Mobiuz (previously UMS) is the second smallest of the mobile networks operating in Uzbekistan. The network began as Uzdunrobita in 1991 and purchased by Russian telecoms giant MTS in 2004, and later rebranded as MTS in 2006. The company faced legal challenges in 2012 when the government of Uzbekistan revoked the company's operating license and arrested several of its top management, citing repeated regulatory violations. After seizure of the company's assets, MTS Uzbekistan filed for bankruptcy and the network shut down. MTS began negotiations to form a Russian-Uzbek partnership, which...
FE COSCOM LLC, branded as Ucell, is one of the largest mobile networks operating in Uzbekistan. FE COSCOM LLC was established in April of 1996 as joint enterprise MCT Telecom Corp. (99.2%) and local partner (0.8%), later acquired in 2007 by Swedish-Finnish-owned Telia Company and subsequently re-branded as Ucell in 2008.
Telia Company divested its near 100% stake in Ucell in December 2018, selling the Uzbek mobile network operator to state investment fund State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Assistance to Privatized Enterprises and Development of Competition. This governmental...
Uztelecom is a joint-stock telecommunications company operating in the Republic of Uzbekistan which offers mobile services under the brand "Uzmobile". Founded in 1992, Uztelecom was initially a state enterprise before being privatised into multiple joint stock companies between 1995 and 1996, including Uzbektelecom International. In 1997, the Ministry of Communications of the Republic of Uzbekistan was reorganised into the Uzbek Post and Telecommunications Agency, which was followed by the establishment of regional joint stock companies providing telecommunications services. From 2000 through...