State-owned Uzbektelecom JSC (a.k.a. Uztelecom) and Internet Initiative Japan (IIJ) said on Thursday they will collaborate to develop network security services for Uzbekistan as well as the broader Central Asian market, starting with zero-trust access.
Under the initial phase, Uztelecom will implement a zero-trust access service based on IIJ’s Safous service, which will be combined with the telco’s network services. In later phases, Uztelecom plans to integrate other IIJ services such as its firewall management service, although no timeline was given.
IIJ said in a statement itexpects the partnership to pave the way for further innovations in managed security services, cloud services, and other network-related services as Uzbekistan’s ICT market continues to grow, which in turn could potentially lead to more comprehensive service offerings and a stronger digital infrastructure in the Central Asian region.
The collaboration is part of a broader collaboration between Uztelecom, IIJ, Toyota Tsusho, NEC and NTT Communications for a telecoms infrastructure development project initiated last year under the government’s Digital Uzbekistan 2030 plan.
Under a contract signed with Uztelecom in January 2023, the four Japanese firms are providing telecoms equipment and services for Uztelecom’s data centers in Tashkent, Bukhara, and Kokand. They are also expanding the telco’s telecoms transport and data networks, as well as its international data communication network, to improve quality of service and boost connectivity between rural and urban locations.
