MoCI may license third ISP to handle rising demand for international internet traffic

Belarus’ Ministry of Communications and Informatisation (MoCI) is considering whether or not to license a third internet service provider (ISP) to handle an anticipated surge in external internet traffic in the future, according to its head of communications, Pavel Petrulevich. As it stands, the only two firms authorised to transit international internet traffic in Belarus are national PTO Beltelecom and the National Peering Center. Petrulevich notes that whilst privately-owned ISPs are allowed to cooperate with the National Peering Center for domestic traffic peering-only, they must purchase external internet traffic capacity from Beltelecom. However, in light of burgeoning demand for data, including mobile internet traffic, that situation may change in future, he said.