State of Internet Access in Armenia: From Fiber to the Final Frontier
Armenia’s journey to modern internet connectivity began in the 1990s with a single dominant telecom operator. After independence in 1991, the national operator ArmenTel held a legal monopoly over telephony and internet services. This monopoly, granted in 1998, hindered early internet growth, as competitors were barred and infrastructure investments lagged hetq.am azatutyun.am. By the mid-2000s, however, reforms were underway. ArmenTel’s exclusive rights were effectively ended around 2005–2007, opening the market to new internet service providers and mobile operators azatutyun.am. The sector “saw rapid growth” once the monopoly was broken, with new players spurring competition and network expansion azatutyun.am. Key policy milestones accompanied this liberalization. A national telecom regulator, the Public Services Regulatory Commission, was established to oversee the growing market. In 2013, amendments to the Law on Electronic Communication removed the old licensing regime for ISPs, allowing any company to provide internet services after simply notifying the PSRC freedomhouse.org. This pro-competition policy dramatically lowered barriers to entry – by 2022, over 200 ISPs were officially registered in Armenia freedomhouse.org. The government’s commitment to ICT development has been evident in strategic plans like the Digital Transformation Agenda 2018–2030 and initiatives to promote Armenia as a regional tech hub budde.com.au. Throughout the