Chapter 2. The ICT Development Index (IDI) Box 2.3: Armenia’s surge in Internet use Since 2008, Armenia has increased its IDI unit value by 31 per cent and moved up from rank 86 to 72. Armenia progressed in the access sub-index, by 26 per cent, and in the use sub-index, moving up 44 places to 82 in this category. International Internet bandwidth and mobile-cellular subs-criptions increased from no subscriptions in 2008 to about five per cent penetration rate in 2010. Fixed-broadband penetration is around three per cent but there are positive signs for growth in Armenia’s broadband sector. The Ministry of Economy of Armenia plans to build and expand a mixture of fibre-optic, WiMAX and satellite technologies wor-king contribute to this year’s higher access sub-index, Internet bandwidth in Armenia having increased tenfold from 1 083 Mbit/s to 10 547 Mbit/s. This is reflected in the higher use of Internet in the country compared with neighbouring countries’ Internet penetration rates: Armenia (37 per cent), Azerbaijan (36 per cent), Georgia (27 per cent), the Islamic Republic of Iran (13 per cent) and the CIS average (29 per cent) (Chart Box 2.3). The country is almost on a par with Turkey’s Internet penetration rate of 40 per cent. Furthermore, mobile broad-band to develop the country’s high-speed broadband network at a cost of approximately USD 24 million.20 The country’s main operator ArmenTel has extended its 3G footprint, deploying additional 3G base stations in new regions so as to improve coverage, and will introduce VDSL technology to deliver higher capacity. As a result, next year could see a further growth in mobile-broadband subscriptions in Armenia. Chart Box 2.3: Internet users per 100 inhabitants, 2000-2010 % 40 35 Armenia 30 CIS countries average 25 20 15 10 5 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database. ( + ( $ # 3 \" , (( $?$ % 1 , ( \"@ $ \" 5 %+0$ )($ \" (% $ % ( ( % ) : 6$ , % $ # @7 7$ = ( \" % ( $ + \" >, ( ( $ \" 8 +, \" \" ) ,% (86 % % % 2 6 12 \" \" \" = -6)0>) 7) :( $ * , \" 9$# $ ( 3 \", @? ( $ ( 5, \" 5 %+ 16