Defined as a lower middle-income country by the World Bank, Macedonia possesses a services dominated economy, which represents approximately 60% of GDP. Like many of its neighbours, it has been hit hard by the global financial crisis due to lack of demand for exports and a drop off in foreign direct investment, in turn softening domestic consumption and putting pressure on fiscal accounts.

Uzbekistan has been struggling to bring its telecommunications system up to the standard found in developed countries. For a long time the country’s telecom infrastructure generally remained outmoded and inadequate. Nevertheless, since 2002 the situation has been gradually improving, due largely to the government’s decision to give national priority to Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs). Consequently there has been an upward trend in the country’s telecom market over recent years, with rising revenues and increased investment in infrastructure.

A number of factors had been slowing the development of Nepal’s telecom network. The country’s topography has made it extremely difficult to develop its telecommunications infrastructure. Furthermore, Nepal had been struggling under an adverse economic situation caused largely by political instability. Acts of terrorism and activities of the Maoist rebels operating throughout the country had also taken their toll on the telecom network.