Communications in Afghanistan has increased in the last decade, and has embarked on wireless companies, internet, radio stations and television channels. The Afghan Ministry of Communications signed a $64.5 agreement in 2006 with China's ZTE on the establishment of a countrywide optical fiber cable network. The project was intended to improve telephone, internet, television and radio broadcast services throughout the country. Major companies, such as Afghan Wireless and Roshan, have been boasting rapid increase in cellular phone usage in the mid 2000s. In response to this Etisalat and MTN Group were launched, and by 2009 there were about 17 million mobile phone users in Afghanistan.