The state of the Internet in Iran shows the country remains one of the worst countries in the world in terms of free and high-quality access to the Internet. The “Internet Quality in Iran” report, published by the Internet and Infrastructure Commission of the Tehran E-Commerce Association, provides a detailed and worrying picture of the effects of domestic restrictions, foreign sanctions, and weak technological infrastructure.
Restrictions and their effects
Severe domestic restrictions, including widespread filtering, censorship, and frequent Internet outages, have disrupted users’ access to open information sources and communication platforms. The restrictions have affected ordinary users and severely damaged businesses. A daily loss of 2 billion tomans for a startup company is just one example of the economic impact of these policies.
Starlink’s Growth as a Response to Restrictions
A 20-fold increase in the use of Starlink services in one year indicates people’s efforts to circumvent these restrictions. The trend toward satellite technology creates additional challenges for government control while raising the cost of internet access for users.
Low ranking in global indices
Iran’s ranking of 95th out of 100 countries in internet quality places it alongside countries like Myanmar that are embroiled in political and infrastructure crises. The ranking is the result of domestic restrictions, due to severe weaknesses in investment and management of communication networks.
Network contamination and filter breakers
The widespread use of free filter breakers is due to the lack of access to the free internet. The free filters threatens users’ cybersecurity and turned the network itself into a breeding ground for contamination. Instead of strengthening network infrastructure and increasing the quality of services, the government has taken the opposite approach, which has deepened the problems.
Inability to upgrade infrastructure
Telecom companies have been unable to modernize and optimize their infrastructure due to lack of access to sufficient capital or lack of careful planning. The network is highly vulnerable to environmental events or increased demand.
The combination of repressive domestic policies and weak infrastructure, coupled with the effects of external sanctions, has made Iran one of the worst countries in terms of Internet access. The situation jeopardizes the daily lives of the people and the economic and social future of the country.
