Turkmenistan has started to provide access to the internet for ordinary citizens. Until now, government restrictions meant only state officials and foreign diplomats were allowed to use it. But now thousands of eager customers are in line to sign up.

There’s an unexpected bonus for hard-up pensioners under the system devised to decide who gets connected first.

Internet provider Turkmentelecom is giving people who are retired priority access. But if they don’t want internet they can cash in by selling their place in the queue.

The price of connection is $US 50, a considerable sum by local standards – with average wages in Turkmenistan standing at about $US 140 per month.

As well as the cost, the bad news is that, according to the first users, the connection speed is painfully slow. But it seems that many people won’t mind, or even notice. Some Turkmens remain unaware of the internet’s existence, or simply think it is a kind of computer programme or video game.