Lately there has been almost no talk of the development of the Internet and the Information Technology (IT) sector in Armenia.

What has changed? Has Armenia's “great potential” in this field decreased, has the rate of progress slowed down or – on the contrary – is the proof of development so obvious that no commentary is required? Does this silence itself not require any commentary at all?

Whatever the case, it would be safe to say that there have been no tangible changes in the level, and different kinds, of Internet access in Armenia over these last years. There is no economic, technological or social basis to claim otherwise. There are no good examples for the modernization of any sectors in the economy based on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) or for the efficient use of the Internet in any businesses. The development of the communication infrastructure is progressing very slowly, technical support in the Armenian language online is of very low quality and there has been no talk of any tangible increase in the demand and supply of any related services. Unfortunately – and this will have a significant effect on the future of Armenian society and the economy – the input of ICT in the education sector has remained very low and is mostly superficial; computers and the Internet have failed to become an integral part of the education process. It seems that the Internet is gradually being left off the list of economic, educational and other priorities.

On the other hand, it is my personal impression that the clientele of Internet cafes consists mainly of children and young people, who especially spend a lot of time playing computer games. I am not trying to claim that it is bad to preoccupy oneself with computer games and I cannot speak of any trends without statistical data. Naturally, heightened supervision of the electronic media by the authorities did cause certain enthusiasm about the online world – a range of new information sources appeared on the Internet, including blogs. But the main change in the ICT sector over the past few years is the rapid spread of mobile phone use. The liberation of mobile phone services and the presence of VivaCell changed the communications scene in Armenia significantly. The two mobile phone operators – ArmenTel and VivaCell – are waging an advertising war that has spanned both electronic media as well as other forms of publicity like street billboards. One should probably be happy – mobile phones have become relatively affordable and widespread. But I cannot say that they are necessary. I believe that for a long time they shall remain an accessory – an item of prestige more than one of practical use. They are perhaps an embodiment of certain social character traits, such as impracticality and irresponsibility, unnecessary chatter glamorized only by technological charm.

The ideology of new technology in Armenia is closely linked to mobile phones today. The average Armenian, who cannot afford more luxurious items, associates mobile phones with being modern, fashionable, displaying one's power as a consumer as well as gaining social status and establishing one's identity.

For years, there has been talk of the necessity of development in the domestic market for computer technology and Internet services. It is noteworthy that the Armenian authorities finally understood this only recently, when Microsoft announced their intention to enter Armenia. Does that mean that only this transnational giant can develop Armenia's domestic market? This begs the question – why now and why this way?

First of all, one should have thought of developing Armenia's domestic market years ago, and that task should have been undertaken with the help of local enterprises, at the same time encouraging Armenian potential in research and development. Is it not strange that local potential has been used up almost completely in order to satisfy the programming demands of foreign markets, while the development of the domestic market has been entrusted to Microsoft?

Secondly, there has been open discussion of the development of the IT sector only after mobile phones have won over a large army of consumers and managed to take root within society. However, the ability of the domestic market to adopt new technology is limited in every aspect – material, educational, cultural, psychological and so on. This is especially true when there is competing technology existing alongside. In this case, the Internet and mobile phones are in competition.

In reality, the spheres of Internet technology and mobile phones, along with the changes occurring within them, are closely interrelated. Can the Internet and mobile phones coexist peacefully or even help each other gain popularity? Of course they can. But can, for example, the spread of mobile phone use damage the popularization of the Internet? Yes, this is possible as well. Everything depends on the prevailing circumstances. The current situation in Armenia suggests that the second outcome is more likely, and this fits in with the logic behind Armenia's technological development over the past few years. It is obvious that, among other things, an important role is played by the personal gains of a few well-placed officials; the creation of VivaCell was also due to the personal business interests of certain people.

My impression is that, with the creation of VivaCell and the spread of mobile phone use, there has been a decrease in general interest towards the Internet – especially in case of those services which require some degree of computer literacy and in turn further develop the user's technical knowledge. The fate of these two new media in Armenia has manifested as the decline in literary Armenian, a lower probability for the establishment of a modern education system, the spread of consumerism, the regression of society and so on. It is obvious, for example, that the spread of mobile phones has contributed to the strengthening social position of crude Armenian and slang.

It is the government's responsibility to develop favorable policies for the spread of new technology, to set priorities, to form public demand and to encourage the consumption of important services. This is where the realization of social good can clash with the interest of private companies and individuals, and overcome it. Unfortunately, it seems that in Armenia so far, the opposite has been taking place.