Source: Udriin Sonin                     Date: 22 April, 2011

The World Bank has been funding a project to improve the information and telecommunication infrastructure in Mongolia, with the Communication Regulatory Office responsible for its implementation. Mobile telephone service centers are now operating in 131 districts, and special communication service centers for herders have been established in 184 small settlements in 82 districts. The national transmission network now runs over 3,200 km, connecting 40 district centers with one another and with the bigger cities.

All provinces now have at least one automobile to run postal services so delivery of letters and packets sent by mail is more timely and regular. Broadband internet service is available in 34 districts and cities. The coordination capacity in the communication sector has improved with the spread of public-private partnership, with 290 enterprises now holding licenses to provide communication services in the provinces. The number of mobile phone users jumped from 441,000 in 2004 to 2.5 million in 2010, which means 90.2% of the Mongolian population have a mobile telephone, which is higher than in many countries much more developed.