Telecommunications companies from Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are set to invest more than$50 million in laying fiber optic cables under the Caspian Sea, according to the Times of Central Asia. The initiative involves collaborating with Kazakhtelecom JSC and Azertelecom LLC to lay around 370 kilometres of optic cables under the sea. This joint venture is part of the Digital Silk Road project, geared towards creating a digital telecommunications corridor connecting Europe and Asia. 

Kazakhstan's minister of digital development, Zhaslan Madiev, disclosed that selecting a contractor to design and implement the underwater FOCL is in its final stages. The total investment from Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan telecom operators is estimated to exceed 23 billion tenges ($50.6 million). The minister also emphasized that the introduction of 5G mobile communications in Kazakhstan should be completed by the end of 2025. By the end of 2027, mobile operators will invest almost 1 billion US dollars in the country's telecommunications sector. The projected deadline for completing the Trans-Caspian FOCL project is 2025, aligning with the Digital Silk Road's broader objectives.