A citywide public wireless network was launched in Tashkent this week, making the Uzbek capital the first city in Central Asia to boast one.

The Asia Wireless Group operates the network under the SOLA brand.

Some 1,200 access points have been installed throughout Tashkent, as the company plans to bring that number to 5,000 by spring next year.

The SOLA system provides two types of access — paid and free. Free access is provided after a user watches a commercial. Paid tariffs work without traffic restrictions, and users are offered hourly, daily, weekly or monthly subscriptions.

The company also revealed plans to launch wireless networks in Uzbekistan's popular tourist destinations, including Samarkand, Fergana and Buhara.