What ASTEL does

ASTEL is a Kazakhstan-based telecommunications and ICT services provider founded in 1993 and headquartered in Almaty, now operating as a subsidiary of Nasdaq-listed Freedom Holding Corp. following its acquisition for $22.4 million. The company delivers a diversified services portfolio spanning traditional telecom (voice, data, mobile satellite communications), IoT connectivity, cloud services, information security, systems integration, design engineering, and project management under the Freedom Satellite brand.

The company's strategic positioning has shifted from legacy telecom into smart city infrastructure, anchored by a cooperation memorandum signed on 2025-12-15 with Actility and the Municipality of Taldykorgan, supported by the French government. The underlying technology stack combines Actility's LoRaWAN wide-area network infrastructure with ASTEL's managed services capability, enabling IoT coverage across 18 cities in Kazakhstan. Partnerships with Yealink, Palo Alto Networks, COBHAM, INFINET wireless, and Truconf extend the offering across networking, security, and unified communications hardware and software categories.

ASTEL's revenue mechanics blend recurring telecom subscription revenue with project-based managed services revenue derived primarily from government and municipal customers. Direct sales to municipal governments constitute the primary go-to-market channel for smart city deployments, while broader telecom services are distributed across consumer and business subscribers within Kazakhstan. The company's customer base is concentrated in the Government/Municipal vertical, with the Municipality of Taldykorgan named as the flagship smart city reference customer.

Name

ASTEL

Legal name

Astel

Website

https://astel.kz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ASTEL is a Kazakhstan-based telecom and ICT services provider offering telecommunications, IoT, cloud, security, and smart city infrastructure to government entities and businesses across 18 cities. It operates as a subsidiary of Freedom Holding Corp.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Telecommunications Services

NAICS

Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171), Satellite Telecommunications (517410), Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899), Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential/Broadband ISPs (Consumer Internet) (HDAIADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Enterprise Satellite Connectivity & Managed Services (VSAT, SD-WAN over Satcom) (HDAIAJAB), Network & Connectivity Support (LAN/WAN, Wi‑Fi, ISP/Telco) (BPAAACAD)

Keywords

• Telecommunications services
• IoT connectivity solutions
• Information security services
• Cloud infrastructure services
• Smart city networks

Headquarters

HQ city

Almaty

HQ country

Kazakhstan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Smart City Infrastructure Services: Astel generates revenue through smart city infrastructure projects, including cooperation agreements with municipalities for IoT network deployment and management. Revenue is derived from project-based contracts with government entities.
2. Telecom Services: Astel operates as a telecom provider, generating revenue through telecommunications services to consumers and businesses in Kazakhstan.

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

ASTEL is a Kazakhstan-based telecom provider offering telecommunications, IoT, information security, cloud, and integration services to enterprise and government clients. The company delivers smart city infrastructure using Actility's LoRaWAN network spanning 18 cities, and supplies portable and mobile satellite communication systems for remote connectivity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Telecommunications Services Enterprise and government telecommunications services in Kazakhstan, delivered via direct sales and supported by a 24/7 call center and user support hotline. Services are marketed as 'Communication Transformation - Achievements, Reliability and Innovation.'
• Information Security Services

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ActilitycoreTechnology or Integration · 15 December 2025Astel signed a cooperation memorandum with Actility and the municipality of Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan, to implement a smart city project. The project involves Actility's LoRaWAN network technology, which covers 18 cities across Kazakhstan. The project is supported by the French government.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/astel.kz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/astel-jsc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ASTEL