The sphere of communication in Azerbaijan has a long and peculiar history. Back in 1501, Shah Ismail Khatai, the head of the Safavid state, laid the foundations of state postal communication.

Establishment of the first communication institution in Azerbaijan as post office dates to the beginning of 19th century. The first post office was opened in Ganja in 1818.

The first telephone communication in Baku was established in 1881, and on 6 December of the same year the first telephone line was laid by “Nobel Brothers Oil Production Partnership”.  By 1885 there were functioning already 14 telephone lines in Baku.

The establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first democratic state in the Muslim world, required significant work towards the development of post and telegraph in the country. Thus, on 6 October 1918 the Ministry of Post and Telegraph of the Independent State was established. The Ministry was headed by A.Ashurov and functioned until the fall of the republic. On 1 March 1919, the Azerbaijan Telegraph Agency was established. After establishment of Soviet rule in Azerbaijan on April 28, 1920, the ministry was transformed into Mail and Telegraph Commissariat. On 6 November 1926, regular broadcasting of radio programmes in the Azerbaijani language and wire radio broadcasting started for the first time in Azerbaijan.

In 1946-1947 two new automatic telephone exchanges were put into operation in Azerbaijan, Ganja, and Guba, and in 1948 telephone exchanges with a capacity of 200 numbers were put into operation in Nakhchivan and Khankendi. From the time of its inception by Soviet authorities, the communications sector was directly managed by permanent representatives of Ministry of Communications of USSR in Azerbaijan up until 1953. In 1953, the Ministry of Communications was reconstituted by the decision of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR. In 1956, the first television centre was established in Baku and television programmes were broadcast for the first time.

After the great leader Heydar Aliyev began to lead Azerbaijan in 1969 along with other areas, communication has also embarked on a path of sustainable development. In those years, post, telegraph, and broadcasting have passed a remarkable development path. The construction of the Railway Post Office in Baku, the House of Communication, buildings for communication centers in regional centers, and the construction of hundreds of post offices in the country coincides with that period.

During the years of independence, the Great Leader has always kept the development of this sphere in the spotlight. One of the most important steps taken towards development of communication in Azerbaijan was the decree of National Leader Heydar Aliyev on “Approval of the National Strategy for Information and Communication Technologies for 2003-2012 for the sake of the Development of the Republic of Azerbaijan” signed on 17 February 2003 and in the past the policy implemented in the country in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) was based on this strategy.

On August 1, 2004, Baku city telephone network changed over to 7-digit numbering system. Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Telecommunications” was adopted on June 14, 2005, and NGN- new generation of network equipment was introduced in Baku for the first time in Azerbaijan and CIS space on October 1 of the same year. In the modern era of rapidly changing new technologies, this progress has gained wider scope under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev.  “National Strategy for the Development of Information Society in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2014-2020” was approved, to ensure the implementation of the National Strategy, the “State Program for the implementation of the National Strategy for the Development of Information Society in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2016-2020” was prepared. State Fund for Development of Information Technology, High Tech Park were established. Order of the head of state on “Establishment of the day of professional holiday of employees of the communication and information technologies” in 2006 and according to the Decree, the celebration of December 6 every year as a professional holiday is a further manifestation of the state care provided to those working in this area. As a result of the work done, Azerbaijan is assessed between developing and developed countries for the ICT development indicators. In the recent years, Azerbaijan with ancient history and a great deal of success has occupied one of the leading places in the world for its ICT development indicators.

One of Azerbaijan’s biggest achievements in recent years in ICT field is becoming the only country in the region with space industry. In 2009, President Ilham Aliyev approved the “State Program on the Establishment and Development of Space Industry in the Republic of Azerbaijan”. As a result of the successful implementation of the program, Azerspace-1 and Azerspace-2 being the first satellite of the country and covering the world’s third, were put into orbit. These satellites have the advantages of eliminating dependence on other countries in the field of telecommunications, ensuring various types of information security without dependence on terrestrial infrastructure and establishing communication at anytime anywhere. The national telecommunications, postal and teleradio infrastructure, which meets the most modern standards, has been formed and developed in the country.

Relevant work is underway in the liberated territories to provide the region with transport infrastructure and communications. Thus, 72 percent of the liberated territories are provided with a 2G network, over 40 percent – 3G and more than 50 percent – 4G, and 1,400 kilometers of fiber optic lines have been laid there.
On October 11, 2021, based on the relevant Presidential Decree, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan was renamed the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan has made significant progress in the development of its Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector in recent years. The government has implemented a range of policies and initiatives aimed at promoting innovation, expanding access to technology, and driving economic growth. One of the key factors driving the development of ICT in Azerbaijan is the government’s focus on modernizing and diversifying the economy. This has involved a range of measures, including investment in infrastructure, regulatory reform, and the establishment of special economic zones and technology parks.

Considering that ICT is an integral part of society and people’s life, Azerbaijan has taken several steps in this direction so far. The 21st century gives an opportunity to form new human relations and create new means of production. Azerbaijan is doing very important work in this direction actively integrating into the world information space. Due to its geographical location and independent policy, Azerbaijan is recognized as a country with its own place and unique opportunities in the world ICT market.

Recommended literature:

1. Salayev, Oktay Ağacan oğlu. Poçt rabitəsinin təşkili və istismarı : orta ixtisas təhsili müəssisələrinin tələbələri üçün dərslik: bu nəşr respublikda poçt rabitəsinə aid ilk dərslikdir / O. A. Salayev, V. V. Əliyev, E. Ş. Kərimli ; red. N. N. Salayeva. - Bakı : MSV Nəşr, 2020. - 304 s.
2. İsrafilova, Elmira Nəriman qızı. İnformasiya texnologiyaları və sistemləri : dərs vəsaiti / E. N. İsrafilova, N. Ə. Həsənova ; elmi red. R. Ə. Mahmudzadə ; Mingəçevir Politexnik Institutu. - Bakı : Mütərcim, 2015. - 312 s.
3. Hümbətov, Əlövsət. Azərbaycan rabitəsi müstəqillik dövründə: 1991-2001 /Ə.Hümbətov. - Bакı: Adiloğlu, 2002. - 240 s.
4. Heydər Əliyevin İKT siyasətinin uğurlu davamı / Rabitə və İnformasiya Texnologiyaları Nazirliyi. – Bakı: Bakı, 2008. – 348 s.
5. Aslanov, Aslan Əhməd oğlu. İnformasiya yaradıcılığı: standartlar və yeni yanaşmalar: dərslik /A. Aslanov ; elmi red. C. Məmmədli ; red. E. Şahbalayev ; [rəssamlar İ. Rəfibəyli, F. Səfərli]. - Bakı: Şərq-Qərb, 2016. – 199 s.