Freedom Holding Corp., a Nasdaq-listed U.S.-based company widely known in the financial sector, is making bold moves into the telecom industry. Freedom Holding Corp has announced ambitious plans to develop telecommunications in its key market of Kazakhstan, including the introduction of cutting-edge fixed wireless access (FWA) technology and the expansion of a powerful digital services ecosystem. These initiatives could not only reshape the country’s telecoms market but also create synergies with other businesses within Freedom Holding.
“We want to operate like an efficient startup in the field of scientific development, but with a focus on actual performance metrics rather than just loud promises,” says Timur Turlov, the holding’s founder and CEO.
One of the key components of Freedom Holding’s telecom strategy is the implementation of FWA. This technology will provide high-speed internet in areas where traditional wired networks are ineffective. According to the company, the first 150 FWA points were supposed to be launched by the end of March, with the total expected to reach 1,000 by the end of the year. Initial tests in the city of Kunai demonstrated download speeds of up to 1 Gbps near the base station and 200 Mbps at a distance of 1.5 km. Each station is expected to serve up to 400 customers, and the infrastructure investment is expected to pay for itself within 3-4 years.
Kazakhstan’s telecom market still has significant growth potential, with half of the country’s households lacking broadband internet access. As GDP grows and demand for digital services increases, the telecom sector is ready to expand. Government projects to expand rural internet access could represent a billion-dollar opportunity, and Freedom Holding is preparing to be a key player in such initiatives.
However, FWA is not just about a new method of connectivity—it represents a crucial step toward building a broader digital ecosystem. Freedom Holding sees telecom infrastructure as the backbone for its technological services, ranging from cloud solutions to the Internet of Things (IoT).
Investments in the telecom sector will not only help create state-of-the-art infrastructure but also strengthen the company’s competitive position in the marketplace. A key aspect of this strategy is the cross-selling of services between different business units within the holding company. Data shows that customers who use at least two Freedom Ecosystem products are 31% more active, and those using three products increase their lifetime value by 50%. By bundling telecom services with financial and insurance products, the company aims to increase customer retention by 30% and revenue by 20%.
“Telecommunications are the foundation of any ecosystem. We have a broad customer base, which gives us an advantage when scaling our services,” Timur Turlov explains.
One of the most distinctive aspects of Freedom Holding’s strategy is the creation of an ecosystem where different services complement each other. For example, the deployment of FWA will open new opportunities for integrating financial and insurance products offered by the company. There are already global examples of such synergies, where telecom operators provide insurance services based on data collected from connected devices.
Telecom infrastructure will also enable digital services such as video surveillance, cloud computing, and smart city management systems.
While Freedom Holding Corp is initially focused on the Kazakhstani market, it is also exploring international expansion. However, the company is taking a cautious approach and is not rushing to acquire foreign assets until it has established a sustainable business model.
“If you start buying assets without understanding your competitive advantage, you won’t gain any advantage at all,” Timur Turlov emphasizes.
Freedom Holding is not just aiming to connect users to the internet — it is building a fully integrated ecosystem of digital services. This approach will allow the company to not only compete with traditional telecom operators but also set a new industry standard in the telecommunications market.