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Internet in Turkmenistan?
Does anybody have experience with Internet access in Turkmenistan?
I am thinking about attending the upcoming international sporting event in Ashgabat this coming September. From my research - it looks like TM is an Internet no-go with large barriers to access for the masses, censorship and restrictions on SIM acquisitions for foreigners. Does anybody know if they are liberalizing this for the sporting event? Is there a TM or Ashgabat news website in Russian (or English) ?
It looks like my telecom options (if I can get a local to give me a SIM) are
- Altyn Asyr (state-owned) with some 4G coverage at US$15 / 1GB or $100 / 10GB
- MTS (RU) with 3G at $42 / 5GB
Are these prices current?
Comments
From outside and by my TM visitor IPs It looks like the censorship is a level higher - all ASNs used in TM route through Telecom or AGTS which both seem state owned:
https://bgpview.io/asn/20661#info
https://bgpview.io/asn/51495#info
Internet usage/penetration seems extremely low (i have even lower traffic from there as from KG) which is in-line with the ex dictatorship style (Turkmenbashi...) - Not many IP ranges in use either, no exchanges, no v6...
MTS routes singlehomed via Telecom also btw:
https://bgpview.io/asn/20661#downstreams-v4