Communications in Afghanistan

Communications in Afghanistan has grown considerably in the last decade, and has embarked on wireless companies, internet, radio stations and television channels. The Afghan Ministry of Communications signed a $64.5 agreement in 2006 with China's ZTE on the establishment of a countrywide optical fiber cable network. The project was intended to improve telephone, internet, television and radio broadcast services throughout the country. About 85% of the country's population has access to communication services as of 2012.

Telecom companies, such as Afghan Wireless and Roshan, began boasting rapid increase in cellular phone usage in the mid 2000s. In response to this Etisalat and MTN Group were launched, and by 2009 there were about 18 million mobile phone users in Afghanistan. Etisalat became the first company to launch 3G services in 2012 followed MTN and Roshan as a result 50% of the country’s populations would have access to the internet over the next two years. In the meantime, Afghan officials announced that they plan to send its own satellite into space.