Need to talk
- Currently 1 out of 625 people in Afghanistan have access to a telephone, making it one of the most poorly networked countries in the world. Over two decades of conflict have almost completely destroyed the fixed-line network and there has been little or no investment in telecommunications during this time.
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- Telecommunication
- In today?s fast-paced global society, businesses and individuals rely
heavily on email and mobile phone
communication. Texting, instant messaging,
and email are becoming main mediums of communications all over the world?and
order to keep up, Afghanistan hopes to plug in.
According to President Karzai, communication services ?not only
have?importance in the economic and social development but also in security
& stability of the country.? He and the government hope to turn
telecommunications into a ?leading engine? that will power the remainder of
the country?s clean-up and growth efforts. And indeed, telecommunications is
an over-arching market that, when established in Afghanistan, will effect
efforts in education, health care, market growth, and more.
Afghanistan is not yet ready, however, to fully jump on the
telecommunications circuit.
The country has extremely limited
telecommunication infrastructure. Digital telephone service and satellite
linkage is available in only 12 provincial capitals. Additionally, internet
service is mostly available only to administrative and business facilities
in the most urban areas. And, while the priority is to connect the
government, businesses, and urban areas to the internet and to digital and
mobile phone services, the government would ultimately like to see the new
telecommunications services stretch to private homes in even low-density or
underserved areas. Every village and every town should have access to a
phone and computer.
In addition, on-the ground communications through a reliable postal service
have been lost in the wake of the fighting and turmoil. There is a strong
need for skilled postal workers, and a need to reconstruct those postal
facilities that have been destroyed or badly damaged.
Afghanistan?s limited resources provide investors with tremendous
opportunities in this arena. The country is a blank slate, ready to be
outfitted with the latest technologies and techniques. Serious investors
recognize the advantage of becoming involved on the ground floor of any
major undertaking?and an investment that helps connect Afghanistan to the
rest of the world will also improve the country?s economy and build a better
and more competitive market for local and international investors. An
investment in telecommunications through AFTIG will allow Afghanistan to
rebuild telephone lines and adopt digital technology. It will allow the
country to develop a thriving mobile phone service market. And it will allow
more homes and businesses to connect to the World Wide Web.
Communication is essential to a strong reconstruction effort. Your
investment will help Afghanistan restore its communication internally
between fellow citizens, and also externally?with the rest of the world.
Invest with AFTIG.
