YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, NOYAN TAPAN. It is envisaged that by late 2008 Cornet AM provider company owned by the Russian-British company Callnet will be able to provide broadband wireless Internet services all over Armenia. Director General of Cornet CJSC Boris Demirkhanian said this during a talk with NT correspondent. According to him, Armenia is the first post-Soviet country to introduce and operate a network with the use of WiMAX technology. He noted that Cornet AM started the pilot program on formation of a WiMAX network in June 2006 when the first base station was installed in Yerevan, which actually created the opportunity to ensure wireless Internet access in Yerevan. In the words of B. Demirkhanian, Cornet AM currently provides this service to 70 users. The reason for such a small number of users is that the cost price of connecting to the network makes about 1,000 USD. The user's terminal device makes up large part of this sum. The director general said that the current number of users has been ensured thanks to crediting 60% of the connection cost. However, B. Demirkhanian hopes that further investments of Cornet will contribute to an increase in the number of users. "In 2007, it is envisaged to install 10 base broadcasting stations in Yerevan, which will allow to secure user connection with cheaper equipment without any negatice impact on quality." According to forecasts of Cornet AM's director general, the WiMAX access connection price is expected not to exceed 100 thousand drams in 2008, which will result in a decline of connection devices' prices, while the number of users will grow up to 10 thousand. He explained such expectations by the current number of 100 thousand Internet users in Armenia, some of whom, in case of improving Internet access thanks to WiMAX, will prefer this service.

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