Uzbekistan to Test Satellite Internet in 2026

Uzbekistan plans to launch satellite internet services on a trial basis in 2026. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

This important news was announced by Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov on March 24 at the Digital Kazakhstan 2026 forum held in Shymkent. According to the head of state, the new project is primarily aimed at connecting remote areas and districts difficult to reach by land roads to modern communication networks.

To this end, the government has developed and prepared a special package of tax incentives for operators providing satellite internet. The Prime Minister emphasized that the country has achieved significant results in the field of digital development over the past nine years.

Currently, broadband internet coverage has increased from 41% to 99.5%, while network capacity has grown fortyfold. Additionally, the successful consolidation of e-government systems into a single data center reduced budget expenditures by 30%.

Uzbekistan is currently finalizing the construction of a large computing cluster necessary for its national artificial intelligence infrastructure. This system plays a decisive role in testing AI-based projects and transitioning them to large-scale industrial application.

At present, the state has a portfolio of 100 artificial intelligence projects with high future prospects. As an example, the Prime Minister cited the third copper processing plant recently launched at the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combine.

At this facility, more than 60 software systems and twenty thousand sensors are connected to a single digital network for real-time analysis. At the same time, an artificial intelligence union has been established in the country, and fourteen research and educational laboratories are being opened.

It was specifically noted in the report that currently, more than eight hundred startup projects are operating, six of which are exporting their products to foreign markets.