Research Report on ICT infrastructure Co-deployment with Transport and Energy Infrastructures in Mongolia Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway (AP-IS) Working Paper Series The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) serves as the United Nations’ regional hub promoting cooperation among countries to achieve inclusive and sustainable development. The largest regional intergovernmental platform with 53 Member States and 9 associate members, ESCAP has emerged as a strong regional think-tank offering countries sound analytical products that shed insight into the evolving economic, social and environmental dynamics of the region. The Commission’s strategic focus is to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which it does by reinforcing and deepening regional cooperation and integration to advance connectivity, financial cooperation and market integration. ESCAP’s research and analysis coupled with its policy advisory services, capacity building and technical assistance to governments aims to support countries’ sustainable and inclusive development ambitions. The shaded areas of the map indicate ESCAP members and associate members. Disclaimer: The Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway (AP-IS) Working Papers provide policy-relevant analysis on regional trends and challenges in support of the development of the AP-IS and inclusive development. The findings should not be reported as representing the views of the United Nations. The views expressed herein are those of the authors. This working paper has been issued without formal editing, and the designations employed and material presented do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Correspondence concerning this working paper should be addressed to the email: [email protected]. Contact: ICT and Development Section Information and Communications Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction Division United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific United Nations Building RajadamnernNok Avenue Bangkok 10200, Thailand Email: [email protected] 2 Acknowledgements This report was prepared by ODKHUU Tsolmondelger, Consulting Engineer, Chief Strategy Officer, of Information Communications Network LLC (ICN LLC), Mongolia. The report was prepared with assistance of TSETSEG Bujiinen, Consulting engineer, Director of Monitoring and Evaluation Department, Communications and Information Technology Authority (CITA), Mongolia, BAYARMAA Gurtseden of Mongolian University of Science and Technology, ERDENETSETSEG Dariimaa Officer of Business Development Department, ICN LLC and OYUNDELGER B. Senior Officer of the Ministry of Road and Transportation development. Substantive comments were provided by Atsuko Okuda, Channarith Meng, Elena Dyakonova, and Aneeshaa Choudhury Shudipta under the guidance of Tiziana Bonapace, Director, Information and Communications Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. Bekhzod Rakhmatov of Transport Division, Lana Basneen Zaman of Energy Division, and Ma. Fideles Sadicon of ESCAP Subregional Office for North and North-East Asia also provided valuable comments and inputs. Tarnkamon Chantarawat and Sakollerd Limkriangkrai provided administrative support and other necessary assistance to support development of this report. March 2020 Photo credit: Cover - iStock-953782406 3 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ 3 List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. 5 Abbreviations................................................................................................................................. 6 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 8 1. Current level of ICT development in Mongolia .................................................................... 10 1.1 Domestic market of information communication network .................................................. 10 1.2 Backbone network situation and usage ............................................................................... 13 1.3 Long and mid – term Policy ................................................................................................ 16 2. Current level of transport and energy sectors ...................................................................... 18 2.1 Current level of Energy sector ............................................................................................. 18 2.2 Transport sector overview ................................................................................................... 21 3. Case studies of FOC co-deployment in Mongolia ................................................................. 27 3.1 Energy infrastructure projects for co-deployment ............................................................... 27 3.2 Transport infrastructure projects for co-deployment ........................................................... 28 3.3 FOC co-deployment with telecommunication operators ..................................................... 31 4. The opportunities and the challenges for FOC co-deployment............................................ 32 4.1 The opportunities and motivations for FOC co-deployment ............................................... 32 4.1.1 Infrastructure management agencies ............................................................................ 32 4.1.2 Telecommunication operators ...................................................................................... 34 4.1.3 Legislator, policy maker and regulator ......................................................................... 35 4.2 Challenges and constraints for co-deployment .................................................................... 36 4.2.1 Infrastructure management agencies ............................................................................ 36 4.2.2 Telecommunication operators ...................................................................................... 37 4.2.3 Legislator, policy maker and regulator ......................................................................... 37 5. Major legal, regulatory, and policy considerations and recommendations ........................ 39 5.1 Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 39 5.1.1. Legislative ................................................................................................................... 39 5.1.2. Policies ........................................................................................................................ 39 5.1.3. Regulations .................................................................................................................. 40 5.1.4. Governance ................................................................................................................. 41 Reference Documents .................................................................................................................. 42 ANNEX ........................................................................................................................................ 43 4 List of Figures Figure 1.1 Number of mobile telecommunication subscribers (As of June 30, 2018)……………11 Figure 1.2 International transit network capacity, Gbps (As of June 30, 2018)…………………12 Figure 1.3 Number of the Mobile broadband subscribers……………………………………….12 Figure 1.4 Fiber Optic length by company, /km/………………………………………………...13 Figure 1.5 ICN LLC’s international fiber optic route……………………………………………16 Figure 3.1 Energy network of Mongolia…………………………………………………………19 Figure 3.2 Energy capacity and supply…………………………………………………………..20 Figure 3.3 Cross border interconnection and export and import…………………………………20 Figure 3.4 Transport system types in Mongolia………………………………………………….21 Figure 3.5 Existing Road Network and Planned Projects in Mongolia…………………………..22 Figure 3.6 Asian Highway routes in Mongolia…………………………………………………..23 Figure 3.7 Existing Railway Network and Planned Projects in Mongolia……………………….24 Figure 3.8 Plan of ADSS Cable project in Power line…………………………………………...28 Figure 3.9 Co-deployment of ICN LLC and MRTD…………………………………………….30 Figure 4.1 High school statistics Development index website of NDA…………………………32 Figure 4.2 OPGW cable installation of 220kV Transmission Line Oyu Tolgoi Mining………...33 Figure 4.3 Micro economic region graph of NDA………………………………………………33 Figure 4.4 Border port and soum center without fiber optic connection………………………...35 Figure 4.5 Backbone network KPI by month……………………………………………………36 List of Tables Table 1.1 Number of Internet subscribers (As of June 30, 2018)……………………………….11 Table 1.2 Number of soums with information communication network and service providers (As of September, 2019)……………………………………………………………………………..14 5 Table 3.1 Length of power transmission and distribution lines…………………………………19 Table 3.2 Number of power transmission and distribution substations…………………………19 Table 3.3 Asian Highway Classification………………………………………………………...23