ALMATY — Kazakhstan is preparing for a mass rollout of VoWiFi (Voice over Wi-Fi) technology in 2026, a move expected to eliminate areas with weak mobile coverage inside buildings, officials announced at an Oct. 21 government meeting on digital infrastructure chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov.
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The officials discussed VoWiFi technology that enables users to make and receive voice calls through any available Wi-Fi network, reported Prime Minister’s press service.
“We’ve successfully completed a pilot among employees, and the service will become publicly available next year,” said Evgeniy Nastradin, Executive Director of Kar-Tel.
Tackling coverage gaps
Despite internet coverage nationwide, urban white zones remain due to dense construction and the removal of outdated base stations. Operators say VoWiFi will bridge this gap and improve communication quality, particularly in offices and residential buildings.
At the same time, Mobile Telecom Service (MTS) under the Tele2 and Altel brands is modernizing its infrastructure by replacing all 3G networks with 4G in major cities by the end of 2025.
“Over the past two years, we’ve completed more than 5,000 construction and modernization projects. Our network now handles over 50% of Kazakhstan’s mobile internet traffic,” said Alexander Babichev, Chairman of MTS.
He highlighted that the company has invested 240 billion tenge ( USD$500 million) between 2023 and 2025 and now serves 10 million customers, with 3 million already using 5G services.
Local data storage and security
According to the expansion of CDN (Content Delivery Network) infrastructure, more than half of all mobile traffic is now cached within Kazakhstan, speeding up access to online content and improving data security.
“Replacing outdated 3G with 4G and launching 5G in urban centers are essential steps toward ensuring stable, high-speed connectivity for all users,” Babichev said.
Protecting children in the digital space
Bektenov also highlighted the importance of child online safety, instructing officials to expand the Sim Kids project, a localized service launched in September 2025 that filters harmful content and enables parental monitoring.
The system, fully available in Kazakh and Russian, includes parental control tools, call monitoring, and emergency contact features, ensuring a safer online experience for young users.
