The minister of communications and information Askar Zhumagaliyev held a meeting on Kaznet development with participation of JSC Kazcontent, and members of OUL “Internet Association of Kazakhstan” They also discussed development of hosting, peering relations and electronic commerce.

Reminder: issues of hosting development were broached at June’s meeting. JSC Kazcontent then offered to provide alternative hosting- grounds with privileged access to the nets of JSC Kazaktelecom making their resources “internal” for mega-liners.

At the present sitting the issue was continued. JSC Kazaktelecom commercial director A.Yeserkegenov informed on their readiness to provide subscribers with free-of charge access to socially useful sites placed on the grounds of companies comprising the association “Center of Internet-traffic exchange”.

Representatives of alternative hosting grounds say the above proposal is an essential step in KazNet development.

Besides, at the meeting they informed on signing of an Agreement on creation of common Kazakhstan internet –space and joining of other market players, between JSC Kazcontent, Alma TV, STS and “Basis telecom”. The world practice shows that similar initiatives of small alternative internet-providers contribute to peering relations creating conditions for further development of local Internet segment, -they commented on the document at the sitting.

Special attention was paid to electronic trading - a powerful and effective instrument in economic reformation, raising the country’s competitiveness and insuring its integration into the world economic space, and its development in Kazakhstan.

For internet-users electronic commerce is first of all a global choice and opportunity of fast comparison of supplies and convenience of operations.

Due to “e-government” gateway our citizens can pay taxes and order state services via a portal, the minister said promising that the services’ range would be constantly expanded.

In the meantime speaking on internet-shops it should be noted that electronic trading is not developed in Kaznet so far. As a rule there is a wide choice of goods on

Kazakhstan sites, but you’ll have to pay for it in cash. The main cause is absence of a single integrator with payment services.

At the same time the single integrator is not the only constituent providing success in electronic commerce. Apart from it there are such factors as access to Internet, convenient payment facilities, internet-buyers trust in shops, etc.

Another barrier hindering development of electronic trade is absence of such a concept as “electronic money” in the legislature which may appear with adoption of a corresponding law.

To raise Kazakhstanis’ trust in internet commerce they suggested establishment of the association “Safe shop” and the minister promised to support these initiatives.

Vladimir Osipov