WHY IS INTERNET IN ARMENIA SO SLOW? ARMENTEL GENERAL DIRECTOR PROVIDES AN EXPLANATION

Tert.am
12:31 ~U 24.12.09

ArmenTel General Director Igor Klimko, speaking with journalists
yesterday, said that the slow speed that some subscribers of Hi
Line services are experiencing is due to three reasons, only one of
which has to do with ArmenTel (brand Beeline), reports Armenian paper
Capital Daily.

According to Klimko, the drop in speed for some Hi Line subscribers
is not tied to an overload in connection as a result of a recently
announced sale promotion.

"Until the promotion, ArmenTel increased the capacity of both internal
[that is, within Armenia] and external [outside of the country] links.

In particular, the entire capacity of external links today is 2.2
Gbit/sec, of which 1.2 Gbit/sec is allocated to Hi Line," noted the
general director, adding that even if a subscriber has high-speed
internet, she won’t be able to upload at a high speed from certain
websites since it is those websites that limit the upload speed.

"ArmenTel is not to blame here [in this case]," said Klimko.

The ArmenTel representative also noted that internet speed also
depends on existing phone lines, which often don’t correspond to
pressing needs. "We are prepared to elimate the existing issues,
to improve the infrastructures," noted Klimko, adding that serious
investments into improved phone connection infrastructure are in the
works for the coming year; in particular, said the general director,
all of Yerevan will be "digitalized."

Klimko explained the reason for slow internet speeds also as being due
to the activities of a few Armenian internet providers. "Our Hi Line
is a bone stuck in the throats of providers, and they are limiting the
speed availability of a number of well-known mirror sites," he noted.

These actions by internet providers, according to Klimko, is a
"competitive display of bad conscience," and ArmenTel is preparing
to complain to the appropriate state bodies.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress