For nearly a week now, ArmenTel’s IP address that is used by all of its dialup customers has been blocked by CBL presumably because of spam coming out of Armenia. Each time it’s manually unblocked a few hours later it’s blocked again. Bad enough, but even worse is the fact that ArmenTel don’t appear to give a damn. Well, it’s how most organizations and companies are run here, but for a country that places such a priority on the development of the IT sector.

In related news, Georgia also appears to be having some trouble with the Internet although add a twist to the story, whereas the government here is actually responsible for the creation of the ArmenTel monopoly that was only recently weakened, the authorities are there realize how damaging such things can be. If only the government here could follow this example rather than just sit back and do nothing.

It is time to put an end to a monopoly on the internment service market, Economy Minister, Giorgi Arveladze, said on July 30.

Three major internet provider companies – Sanet, Georgia Online and Caucasus Net – merged last year to create a near monopoly with 90% of the market.

Arveladze has also lashed out at internet service quality in Georgia and said service provider companies charge users with high price, but fail to provide a proper quality in exchange. This amounts to “robbery,” he said.

Internet service is a growing market in Georgia, according to the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC)

Turn over for internet service providers grew to GEL 26.15 million (USD 15.5 million), up from GEL 19.8 million (USD 11 million) in 2005. The GNCC also reported an 81% increase in the number of internet users in Georgia, with 27,700 ADSL users registered in 2006.

Recently the GNCC has issued three licenses for operation of WiMAX service – a technology enabling the delivery of wireless broadband access as an alternative to cable and DSL.

What’s interesting with this story is that rather than the government being responsible for the creation of a monopoly as it is in Armenia, the authorities there understand the dangers. That’s quite a marked difference to the situation in Armenia where corruption-driven monopolies control define almost everything.