Kazakhstan Additional Service Providers: Vehicle Rental, Taxi Companies, Freight Forwarding Agents, Handling Equipment, Power Generation and ISPs

For information on Kazakhstan Additional Service Provider contact details, please see the following link: 

4.9 Kazakhstan Additional Service Provision Contact List

Taxi Companies

Taxis usually cost (€2 to €6 within city). There is no need to use official taxis in most cities, basically it can be stopped almost any car on the street by raising your hand. but in Karaganda the best way is one of taxis by phone.
Taxis to the airport vary greatly in price. Any foreigner will be quoted a very expensive rate but usually cabs will come down once they see they aren't going to be able to get that much. Do not accept the first price as it will result in your being overcharged. It should be less than USD10, although it can never be guaranteed that a foreigner will get that price. A better option are the minibuses and buses that go to the airport. The word "airport" is very similar in Russian and English.
A common way to get around is by unofficial taxis. Any time of day, just wave your hand and someone will stop. Locals do this all the time. Negotiate the price and destination before you agree to go. About $2-$4 is fair for a ride within the center of Almaty. If your Russian is poor or non-existent, you will be charged a lot more than locals; to avoid this, try to use public buses as much as you can and don't hesitate to tell the driver how much you are ready to pay. Do not get in a car if more than one person is driving. Also, do not take these kind of taxis for long distances or anywhere that goes through remote areas, as there are frequent robberies, especially of foreigners. Always try to have exact amount of money in cash since usually they will not give you change. 

Electricity and Power 

Kazakhstan is one of the first countries of former Soviet Union that has developed a functioning electric power market. As a result of the reforms in the 90s:

• Division of power sector into competitive entities and regulated monopolies

• Large scale privatization of generation

• Creation of the Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company (KEGOC)

• Formation of regional distribution companies (RECs.

The Concept of further development of market relations in the Kazakhstan power sector was approved in February of 2004. The Kazakhstan Electricity Law was passed in July 2004, providing framework for power market development.

• Total installed electricity capacity (2010): 19,127 MW

• Available capacity: 1,821 MW.

• Power Generation (2009): 78.4 billion kWh

• Fossil fuel 90.7 %

• Hydro: 9.3 %

There are 71 power stations, including five hydroelectric plants. This represents an installed capacity of approximately 19,400 MW, and available output 15,300 MW. At the moment, 85.5% of Kazakhstan’s electricity comes from coal-fired plants and 8.7% from hydroelectric sources. The coal fired plants are located in north coal producing regions. Hydroelectric facilities are located mostly along the Irtysh River. The southern regions of Kazakhstan do not have an enough energy resources and electricity consumption is covered by import from the Kyrgyz Republic.
Kazakhstan total primary energy supply (excluding electricity trade) was 65,835 ktoe in 2009. Share of TPES was the following:

• Coal/peat: 47.9%

• Gas:29.1 %

• Oil: 21.8%

• Hydro: 0.9%

• Combined renewable and waste: 0.2%.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

Liberalization of the telecommunications market in 2004 increased competition among the five licensed operators: KazakhTelecom (the former state monopoly, now with 51 percent state participation), Transtelecom, Kaztranscom, Arna (DUCAT), and Astel. The first-tier ISPs with international Internet connections and their own infrastructure are KazakhTelecom, Nursat, Transtelecom, Kaztranscom, Arna, Astel, and TNS Plus.
There are approximately 100 second-tier ISPs that are purchasing Internet traffic from the first-tier ISPs. They include:

• Kcell (3G)

• INTELSOFT (cable)

• AlmaTV (cable access)

• Beeline (3G, cable)

• DigitalTV (WiMax)

• Jet3G (3G)

• Nursat

• Sekatel

• SputTV (satellite access)

• 2Day telecom (Dial-UP)

Market liberalization has not been completely carried out, as there are restrictions on foreign ownership for fixed-line operators providing long-distance and international services. In addition, KazakhTelecom retains dominance over the telecommunications market, making it difficult for other operators to compete. KazakhTelecom is also launching an interactive IP TV service (11 of March 2009), as it attempts to maintain its dominance in the fixed-line market. Other leading first-tier ISPs, Nursat and Astel, operate terrestrial and satellite-based infrastructure. There are five mobile operators in the country. Three operators are offering GSM services and two CDMA. The government estimates that 60 percent of the population uses mobile services. One of the largest ISPs, Arna (DUCAT), accused KazakhTelecom of breaching the Law for Promoting Competition and Limiting Monopolist Activities. Arna claimed that KazakhTelecom used uncertified systems that monitor and interfere with the telecommunications of customers who are using services offered by competing companies. An investigation of the Kazakh government revealed that such systems indeed existed and were used by KazakhTelecom, but no evidence was found to prove KazakhTelecom was intentionally interfering with competitor activities