“ASSA” magazine invited Mr.Jadambaa.Ts, chairman of  Information Technology, Post and Telecommunications Authority as our guest for this issue.

Few months earlier I visited Galuutsoum of Bayankhongor province. By having seen that the children were standing in a queue just outside Telecom building, I decided to reach them. The children were in a queue to log in the Facebook. So I thought that seeing your neighboring friends online is more interesting than meeting them face to face. I just want to know what’s your point of view on this incident? You may answer from your present position?

Every nation has unique features. For instance, African people have higher sense of culture; Mongolians have an ability to adapt very quickly to new things or environments. However ICT is developing faster and became basic needs of the people in any other countries, we, Mongolians have the nomadic culture and we cannot access ICT as much as we wanted.

Especially, for the herders who live far from the province centers, usingof desktop or laptop computer is impossible. But their kids can keep up with the technology development and make friends through it when they come to the province centers for the school. So, I see your above-mentioned incident same as this perspective.

On the other hand, enough infrastructures as well as internet were accessed in 339 soums of 21 provinces throughout Mongolia. Depending on the distances, only 26 soums are not connected with fiber optic cables. But it does not mean that they do not have an internet access. Those 26 soums have an access to internet through VSAT (small satellite antenna). Therefore, it shows that ICT infrastructure is developing very fast.

The infrastructure must bring the development. So what development must be brought by this invisible ICT infrastructure? What exactly it gave us?

We can assume that the ICT infrastructure is same as a highway. The highways have many kinds of benefits such as faster logistics, reduction of accidents, comfortable travelling, and parsimony as well as decentralizations of cities etc., Likewise, fiber optic cables have their own benefits. For example, citizens have an ability to exchange information, get closer to the governmental services even more opportunities to do business through it.

We used to criticize that Ulaanbaatar had much centralization and the young people had no wish to live in the rural provinces. This critic has been decreased comparatively but still goes on. Infrastructure improvement of the highway and fiber optic cables is effecting vastly to decrease the migration.

We can assume that the ICT infrastructure is same as a highway. 

Specifically, however you do not live in the capital or soum you can fulfill your ICT related needs such as access tonews, governmental services and exchange information etc., it is great improvement that the citizens have accesses to the news and information promptly. We are working to improve those infrastructures to be more perfect.

We are heading behind the countries where ICT is highly developed. So what do you think how far we are behind them?

Comparing to the population, we are on the same stage with them by mobile and internet subscribers as well as technology deployment. An example is that on 19th September Iphone 6 has been launched in Asia, and right after 48 hours, it has been started to be sold in Mongolia. Private sectors have potentials to launch them right after they are launched in the United States. So why technology launchesare this much fast? Answer is that infrastructure which we discussed earlier.

Without those infrastructures, mobile dataand fixed internet, thousands and millions of Iphones or Samsung Galaxies have no sense to be perfectly used. Though we are walking after them , we still can utilize the higher technologies same as them. The recent survey shows that ,90.3% of the population or 2.5 million people use mobilephones in Mongolia.

This statistic shows that Mongolia is one of leading countries in the world by the number of mobile subscribers. Then we can increase users of internet thereby create many different solutions if we extensively deploy new technologies for mobile users or broadly introduce 3G technologies throughout the country ?

Installations of 3G networks for all soumshave been undertaken step by step. I would say that this roll out is undertaken not only by our Agency, mobile operators are also investing much with respect to their social responsibilities and commitments. An average population of soum is around 4 000 people. An age of users in rural areas and usability of 3G are various. In other words, it is a risky business for mobile operators to install their networks or 3G services in economically unviable areas. But they are taking their social responsibilities and making the business investment into rural areas, that is much appreciable.

It seems that private companies are leading or driving up this sector more than the Government. But private companies have been in the market over 20 years only. What policies will be implemented through the Information Technology, Post and Telecommunications Authority assigned by the authorities? It is felt more projects have been implemented and more improvements have been shown in this sector after formation of the New Government for change? 

From 2000, countries around the world have recognized an usage of the ICT is a basic tool for accelerating of economic growth and social development, and committed to build a knowledge based society. At the same time,authorities in the parliament and government have identified the ICT sector as a priority sector thereby undertook the structural change in the sector.

As a result of the change, the agency was established in 2004. Basically, we are committed to support and facilitate the Prime Minister for making decisions and organizing implementations of the Government policies and respective legislations in regard with the information technology and communications sector.

Thus, from the first day of its establishment, we have been closely working with the Government. We cannot saythat our preceding management teams or former governments did nothing. In the other words, technology solutions which we call Government Seamless Services and that lasted for many years have been implemented during a time of this administration.

But there is no reason to deny your point that lots of work have been started their implementation in the ICT sector whereas the sector is under portfolio of the Prime Minister, Mr.NiriviinAltankhuaygafter the formation of New Government for Changes. Indeed, there are some projects that we pushed as they would have been implemented 2-3 years later. Therefore, I would like to say that the New Government for Changes is making the great efforts for theICT sector. To date, it shows from the implementation of transferring to a single digital system of broadcasting throughout vast territory of Mongolia.

The policy paperreflectsthe Government policies to be maintained in the concerning sector and assumptions for future development. So what are assumptions we can expect?

The policy paper was developed visioning for the year of 2021, but we are now drafting the paper based on the assumptions until 2020. It might understood that aforecast for 5-6 years covers a short period of time for the policies, nevertheless the ICT sector is developing very fast, and the forecast of near 5 years could be realistic.

For other countries, the case is same, they cannot talk about more years than that. The things that were assumed 5 years ahead could put in a place in 2 years. In other words, developed countries are leading the ICT sector and either we keep up with them or find out solutions that could accommodate rapid changes and innovations. Therefore, we locally cannot foresee 10 or 20 years ahead.

If they use SSM, it would be 15 minutes including queue and waiting hours and spend 500-1000 tugriks. 

What about the previous policy paper? How far went results and implementations today?

There was anational program called “E- Mongolia”. The Government evaluated that 96.5% of the program activities were implemented. That was one of well ever implemented projects of any Governments. When the project started, people could not imagine that every family would have a desktop and be accessible internet, indeed that became real.

So what will be implemented in next 5 years? Are there any assumptions that people would again say “it is impossible” ?

We put seven goals. At first the satellite program is our priority. For last two years, we established a “National Space Council” and submitted our satellite coordination request to the International Telecommunications Union on 12th December, 2012. According to our request, ITU has allotted the coordination on 74, 113.6 of the eastern longitude for Mongolia to launch the satellite.

We have launched paper satellite to this coordination. Now only some works left which are depending on the Government andthe National Security Council of Mongolia. The authorities would make decisions in regard with types of satellites, manufacturers and launchers of the respective satellites and utilization of them.

Why is the satellite included on mission for 2020? What about the preparation work and economic potential?

Perfectibility requires a time expectation which would last. But by nearing the time of the mission, we are giving an opportunity for its further development. In the future, if the satellite is launched, we will not only provide the needs of ourselves but also we can reach to the locals and rent transponder (device for receiving and transmitting) as well as provide opportunities for businesses. This should be counted as a big contribution to the economy on behalf of the technological sector.

Today, The Government gives approximately one million US dollars to “DDISH” LLC, by renting their transponder to broadcast free 10 channels nationwide. Thus, it is possible that we use 1million dollars for our transponder instead of renting and provide communication services to the places which located in the south of Russia and the north of China, pluswe can entirely provide broadband (network which broadcasts sounds, videography andcontents all at once with a high speed) services through our satellite. There are more necessities.

Within the framework of Seamless Services of the Government program, government services havebeen provided to the citizens by using technology advancements. This program is included for the next 5 years plan as well. Do you have assumptions of making it more advanced and internationally certified?

Self Services machine (SSM) is providing many types of services with fingerprints and civil identification cards. Furthermore, we are looking forward to deliver the services online. In Singapore, there are thousands of online services. The country itself is almost online. No more papersare used, government service bureaucracies are decreased and a time is saved.

Currently, did we save any time and reduce bureaucracy by offering online service? Could you please give an actual example?

It is impossible to tell exact number because not all of the ministries have onlineservices. But, Icould only say one example on SSM. Today, SSM provides around 15 types of government services.

Most of them are the services which are provided from the State Centre for Civil Registration and Information, Mongolia.World Bank research shows that the average spending time on a document is 1.45 hoursand it costs 7.5-10.0 thousand tugriks for a Mongolian citizen. If they use SSM, it would be 15 minutes including queue and waiting hours and spend 500-1000 tugriks. This shows that, by using advantages of ICT, they are saving a whole hour and 7-9 thousand tugriks.