Kazakhtelecom and Amazon's Project Kuiper have announced a partnership to bring high-speed satellite internet to underserved regions in Kazakhstan. The agreement was revealed during an event at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, co-hosted by Amazon along with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).
Under this arrangement, Kazakhtelecom will utilize Project Kuiper’s low Earth orbit satellite network to extend connectivity across Kazakhstan, targeting households, businesses, schools, and communities that currently lack reliable internet access.
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev spoke about the role of space-based connectivity in supporting global social and economic development.
Lisa Scalpone, Head of Worldwide Consumer at Project Kuiper, said: “Project Kuiper is designed to provide fast, reliable internet to customers and communities around the world. We’re proud to be working with Kazakhtelecom as our first partner in the Central Asia and Caucasus region. We want to also thank Samruk-Kazyna, the sovereign wealth fund of Kazakhstan, for their partnership and support. Kazakhstan has created exciting opportunities for growth and investment, including through its AI and digital transformation strategy. We look forward helping spur technology adoption and economic growth across the country through our collaboration.”
Project Kuiper operates a constellation of thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit that communicate via high-speed optical links. These satellites form a mesh network in space connected to ground infrastructure such as antennas, fiber networks, and internet connection points. The system aims to deliver broadband service not only to residential users but also organizations operating where conventional broadband is unavailable.
Amazon has already launched more than 100 satellites for Project Kuiper and continues ramping up production ahead of its initial service rollout. More information about Project Kuiper can be found at www.amazon.com/projectkuiper.