| Countries (A to Z) |
Description |
| Afghanistan |
aided by the presence of multiple providers, mobile-cellular telephone service is improving rapidly |
| Albania |
offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003, two companies were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of Albania's neighbors; Internet broadband services initiated in 2005; Internet cafes are popular in Tirana and have started to spread outside the capital |
| Algeria |
privatization of Algeria's telecommunications sector began in 2000; three mobile cellular licenses have been issued and, in 2005, a consortium led by Egypt's Orascom Telecom won a 15-year license to build and operate a fixed-line network in Algeria; the license will allow Orascom to develop high-speed data and other specialized services and contribute to meeting the large unfulfilled demand for basic residential telephony; Internet broadband services began in 2003 with approximately 200,000 subscribers in 2006 |
| American Samoa |
good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station |
| Andorra |
modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges |
| Angola |
state-owned telecom had monopoly for fixed-lines until 2005; demand outstripped capacity, prices were high, and services poor; Telecom Namibia, through an Angolan company, became the first private licensed operator in Angola's fixed-line telephone network; Angola Telecom established mobile-cellular service in Luanda in 1993 and the network has been extended to larger towns; a privately-owned, mobile-cellular service provider began operations in 2001 |
| Anguilla |
modern internal telephone system |
| Antarctica |
commercial cellular networks operating in a small number of locations |
| Antigua and Barbuda |
good automatic telephone system |
| Argentina |
microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network; more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone use is rapidly expanding; broadband services are gaining ground |
| Armenia |
reliable modern landline and mobile-cellular services are available across Yerevan in major cities and towns; significant but ever-shrinking gaps remain in mobile-cellular coverage in rural areas |
| Aruba |
increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless service providers are now licensed |
| Australia |
domestic satellite system; significant use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular telephones |
| Austria |
fixed-line subscribership has been in decline since the mid-1990s with mobile-cellular subscribership eclipsing it by the late 1990s; the fiber-optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet services are available |
| Azerbaijan |
fixed-line telephony and a broad range of other telecom services are controlled by a state-owned telecommunications monopoly and growth has been stagnant; more competition exists in the mobile-cellular market with three providers in 2006; satellite service connects Baku to a modern switch in its exclave of Naxcivan |
| Bahamas, The |
totally automatic system; highly developed; the Bahamas Domestic Submarine Network links 14 of the islands and is designed to satisfy increasing demand for voice and broadband internet services |
| Bahrain |
modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile-cellular telephones |
| Bangladesh |
modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities |
| Barbados |
island-wide automatic telephone system |
| Belarus |
fixed-line penetration is improving although rural areas continue to be underserved; 3 GSM wireless networks are experiencing rapid growth; strict government controls on telecommunications technologies |
| Belgium |
nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network |
| Belize |
trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay |
| Benin |
system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections; multiple mobile-cellular providers |
| Bermuda |
fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic trunk lines |
| Bhutan |
very low teledensity; domestic service is very poor especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003 |
| Bolivia |
primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina |
fixed-line teledensity roughly 25 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density exceeds 50 per 100 persons |
| Botswana |
small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile-cellular service is growing fast |
| Brazil |
extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations; mobile-cellular usage has more than tripled in the past 5 years |
| British Indian Ocean Territory |
all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet |
| Brunei |
every service available |
| Bulgaria |
a fairly modern digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of the regions; the others are connected by digital microwave radio relay |
| Burkina Faso |
microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communication stations |
| Burma |
system barely capable of providing basic service; cellular phone system is grossly underdeveloped with a subscribership base of less than 1 per 100 persons |
| Burundi |
sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay |
| Cambodia |
adequate landline and/or cellular service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile-phone coverage is rapidly expanding in rural areas |
| Cameroon |
cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter |
| Canada |
domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations |
| Cape Verde |
major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber-optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998; broadband services launched in 2004 |
| Cayman Islands |
liberalization of telecom market in 2003; introduction of competition in the mobile-cellular market in 2004 |
| Central African Republic |
network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication |
| Chad |
fair system of radiotelephone communication stations |
| Chile |
extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations |
| China |
interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular telephone systems have been installed; mobile-cellular subscribership is increasing rapidly; the number of Internet users reached 253 million in 2008; a domestic satellite system with 55 earth stations is in place |
| Christmas Island |
GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005 |
| Colombia |
nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking 50 cities |
| Comoros |
HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of the |
barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations |
| Congo, Republic of the |
primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable |
| Cook Islands |
individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable |
| Costa Rica |
point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available |
| Croatia |
more than 90 percent of local lines are digital |
| Cuba |
national fiber-optic system under development; 95% of switches digitized by end of 2006; fixed telephone line density remains low, at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service expanding but remains at only about 2 per 100 persons |
| Cyprus |
open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay |
| Czech Republic |
virtually all exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals; trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay |
| Côte d'Ivoire |
open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized |
| Denmark |
buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems |
| Djibouti |
microwave radio relay network; mobile cellular coverage is primarily limited to the area in and around Djibouti city |
| Dominica |
fully automatic network |
| Dominican Republic |
fixed telephone line density is about 10 per 100 persons; multiple providers of mobile cellular service with a subscribership of roughly 60 per 100 persons |
| East Timor |
system suffered significant damage during the violence associated with independence; extremely limited fixed-line services; mobile-cellular services and coverage limited primarily to urban areas |
| Ecuador |
fixed-line services provided by three state-owned enterprises; plans to transfer the state-owned operators to private ownership have repeatedly failed; fixed-line density stands at about 13 per 100 persons; mobile cellular use has surged and has a subscribership of nearly 75 per 100 persons |
| Egypt |
principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay |
| El Salvador |
nationwide microwave radio relay system |
| Equatorial Guinea |
fixed-line density is about 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing and in 2007 stood at about 40 percent of the population |
| Eritrea |
inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system |
| Estonia |
a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet services is available throughout the country |
| Ethiopia |
open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; 2 domestic satellites provide the national trunk service |
| Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |
government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands |
| Faroe Islands |
digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed |
| Fiji |
telephone or radio telephone links to almost all inhabited islands; most towns and large villages have automatic telephone exchanges and direct dialing; combined fixed and mobile-cellular density is about 60 per 100 persons |
| Finland |
digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive cellular network provide domestic needs |
| France |
extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system |
| French Guiana |
fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system |
| Gabon |
adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations |
| Gambia, The |
adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity reached 50 telephones per 100 persons in 2007 |
| Gaza Strip |
Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services |
| Georgia |
cellular telephone networks now cover the entire country; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi; nationwide pager service is available |
| Germany |
Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available, expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign countries |
| Ghana |
primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed |
| Gibraltar |
automatic exchange facilities |
| Greece |
microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands |
| Greenland |
microwave radio relay and satellite |
| Grenada |
interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links |
| Guam |
modern digital system, including cellular mobile service and local access to the Internet |
| Guatemala |
state-owned telecommunications company privatized in the late 1990s opening the way for competition; fixed-line teledensity 11 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity 80 per 100 persons |
| Guinea |
Conakry reasonably well served; coverage elsewhere remains inadequate and large companies tend to rely on their own systems for nationwide links; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 2 per 100 persons |
| Guinea-Bissau |
combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and cellular communications; fixed-line teledensity less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 20 per 100 in 2007 |
| Guyana |
microwave radio relay network for trunk lines; fixed-line teledensity is about 15 per 100 persons; many areas still lack fixed-line telephone services; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 37 per 100 persons in 2005 |
| Haiti |
coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 25 per 100 persons |
| Holy See (Vatican City) |
connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network |
| Honduras |
beginning in 2003, private sub-operators allowed to provide fixed-lines in order to expand telephone coverage; fixed-line teledensity has increased to about 10 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone service has been increasing rapidly and subscribership in 2006 exceeded 30 per 100 persons |
| Hong Kong |
microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network |
| Hungary |
the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was initiated in 1996; competition among mobile-cellular service providers has led to a sharp increase in the use of mobile cellular phones since 2000 and a decrease in the number of fixed-line connections |
| Iceland |
liberalization of the telecommunications sector beginning in the late 1990s has led to increased competition especially in the mobile services segment of the market |
| India |
mobile cellular service introduced in 1994 and organized nationwide into four metropolitan areas and 19 telecom circles each with about three private service providers and one state-owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National Satellite system (INSAT), with 6 satellites supporting 33,000 very small aperture terminals (VSAT) |
| Indonesia |
interisland microwave system and HF radio police net; domestic satellite communications system; coverage provided by existing network has been expanded by use of over 200,000 telephone kiosks many located in remote areas; mobile cellular subscribership growing rapidly |
| Iran |
the addition of new fiber cables and modern switching and exchange systems installed by Iran's state-owned telecom company have improved and expanded the main line network greatly; main line availability has more than doubled to nearly 24 million lines since 2000; additionally, mobile service has increased dramatically serving nearly 30 million subscribers in 2007 |
| Iraq |
repairs to switches and lines destroyed during 2003 continue; additional switching capacity is improving access; cellular service is available and centered on 3 GSM networks which are being expanded beyond their regional roots, improving country-wide connectivity; wireless local loop licenses have been issued with the hope of overcoming the lack of fixed-line infrastructure |
| Ireland |
microwave radio relay |
| Israel |
good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital; four privately-owned mobile-cellular service providers with countrywide coverage; mobile-cellular teledensity is 140 per 100 persons |
| Italy |
high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks |
| Jamaica |
the 1999 agreement to open the market for telecommunications services resulted in rapid growth in mobile-cellular telephone usage while the number of fixed-lines in use has declined; combined mobile-cellular teledensity now exceeds 100 per 100 persons |
| Japan |
high level of modern technology and excellent service of every kind |
| Johnston Atoll |
512 KB satellite link to Hawaii teleport; 20 (POTS) voice and data lines |
| Jordan |
1995 telecommunications law opened all non-fixed-line services to private competition; in 2005, monopoly over fixed-line services terminated and the entire telecommunications sector was opened to competition; mobile-cellular usage is increasing rapidly and teledensity reached 80 per 100 persons in 2007 |
| Kazakhstan |
intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; number of fixed-line connections is gradually increasing and fixed-line teledensity is about 20 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is increasing rapidly and subscriptions now exceed 80 per 100 persons |
| Kenya |
no recent growth in fixed-line infrastructure and the sole provider, Telkom Kenya, is slated for privatization; multiple providers in the mobile-cellular segment of the market fostering a boom in mobile-cellular telephone usage |
| Kiribati |
wire line service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati (Christmas Island); connections to outer islands by HF/VHF radiotelephone; wireless service available in Tarawa since 1999 |
| Korea, North |
fiber-optic links installed between cities; telephone directories unavailable; mobile cellular service, initiated in 2002, terminated in 2004; in January 2008 Orascom Telecom, an Egyptian company, announced that it had been granted a commercial license to provide mobile telephone services in North Korea |
| Korea, South |
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 140 per 100 persons; rapid assimilation of a full range of telecommunications technologies leading to a boom in e-commerce |
| Kuwait |
new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones |
| Kyrgyzstan |
multiple mobile cellular service providers with growing coverage; mobile cellular subscribership reached 40 per 100 persons in 2007 |
| Laos |
multiple service providers; mobile cellular usage growing rapidly; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership about 25 per 100 persons |
| Latvia |
number of telecommunications operators has grown rapidly since the fixed-line market opened to competition in 2003; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership is roughly 125 per 100 persons |
| Lebanon |
two wireless networks provide good service; political instability hampers privatization and deployment of new technologies; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership 50 per 100 persons |
| Lesotho |
privatized in 2001, Telecom Lesotho tasked with providing an additional 50,000 fixed-line connections within five years, a target not met; mobile-cellular service is expanding with a subscribership approaching 25 per 100 persons; rural services are scant |
| Liberia |
fixed line service stagnant and extremely limited; mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity approaching 20 per 100 persons |
| Libya |
microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations |
| Lithuania |
rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services has resulted in a steady decline in the number of main line subscriptions; mobile-cellular teledensity has increased to about 135 per 100 persons while fixed-line teledensity has dropped to 22 per 100 persons |
| Luxembourg |
fixed line teledensity over 50 per 100 persons; nationwide cellular telephone system with market for mobile-cellular phones virtually saturated |
| Macau |
termination of monopoly over mobile-cellular telephone services in 2001 spurred sharp increase in subscriptions with mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 190 per 100 persons in 2008; fixed-line subscribership appears to have peaked and is now in decline |
| Macedonia, Republic of |
combined fixed line and mobile telephone density approaching 100 per 100 persons |
| Madagascar |
combined fixed-line and mobile telephone density only about 12 per 100 persons |
| Malawi |
fixed-line subscribership about 1 per 100 persons; privatization of Malawi Telecommunications (MTL), a necessary step in bringing improvement to telecommunications services, completed in 2006; mobile-cellular services are expanding but cellular network coverage is limited and is based around the main urban areas; mobile cellular subscribership roughly 8 per 100 persons |
| Malaysia |
good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations; combined fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity exceeds 110 per 100 persons |
| Maldives |
interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax service |
| Mali |
fixed-line availability is gradually increasing, but subscribership remains less than 1 per 100 persons; increasing use of local radio loops to extend network coverage to remote areas; mobile-cellular subscribership has increased sharply to 20 per 100 persons |
| Malta |
submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands |
| Man, Isle of |
landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system |
| Marshall Islands |
Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by high frequency radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) and mini-satellite telephones |
| Mauritania |
Mauritel, the national telecommunications company, was privatized in 2001 but remains the monopoly provider of fixed-line services; fixed-line teledensity 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular network coverage extends mainly to urban areas with a teledensity approaching 40 per 100 persons; mostly cable and open-wire lines; a domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals |
| Mauritius |
monopoly over fixed-line services terminated in 2005; fixed-line teledensity roughly 30 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services launched in 1989 with teledensity in 2007 reaching 75 per 100 persons |
| Mexico |
low telephone density with about 18 fixed lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; despite the opening to competition in January 1997, Telmex remains dominant; legal challenges to Telmex's alleged anti-competitive behavior in the mobile and fixed-line markets culminated in a World Trade Organization ruling in 2004 against Mexico prompting some strengthening of the powers granted Mexico's telecom regulator; mobile cellular teledensity approaching 65 per 100 persons |
| Micronesia, Federated States of |
islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap |
| Moldova |
depending on location, new subscribers may face long wait for service; multiple private operators of GSM mobile-cellular telephone service are operating; GPRS system is being introduced; a CDMA mobile telephone network began operations in 2007; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 70 per 100 persons |
| Mongolia |
very low fixed-line density; there are multiple mobile cellular service providers and subscribership is increasing rapidly; a fiber-optic network is also being installed that will improve broadband and communication services between major urban centers |
| Montenegro |
GSM wireless service, available through 2 providers with national coverage, is growing rapidly |
| Morocco |
good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay |
| Mozambique |
the telecommunications sector is shackled with a heavy state presence, lack of competition, and high operating costs and charges; stagnation in the fixed-line network contrasts with rapid growth in the mobile-cellular network; mobile-cellular coverage now includes all the main cities and key roads, including those from Maputo to the South African and Swaziland borders, the national highway through Gaza and Inhambane provinces, the Beira corridor, and from Nampula to Nacala |
| Namibia |
core fiber-optic network links most centers and connections are now digital; Namibia's first mobile-cellular network, launched in 1994, provides coverage to 86 percent of Namibia by area |
| Netherlands |
extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; large cellular telephone system with 5 major operators utilizing the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technology |
| Netherlands Antilles |
extensive interisland microwave radio relay links |
| New Caledonia |
a submarine cable network connection between New Caledonia and Australia, completed in 2007, is expected to significantly increase network capacity and improve high-speed connectivity and access to international networks |
| Nicaragua |
since privatization, access to fixed-line and mobile-cellular services has improved but teledensity still lags behind other Central American countries; connected to Central American Microwave System |
| Niger |
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity only about 7 per 100 persons; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned |
| Nigeria |
the addition of a second fixed-line provider in 2002 resulted in faster growth but subscribership remains only about 1 per 100 persons; wireless telephony has grown rapidly, in part responding to the shortcomings of the fixed-line network; multiple service providers operate nationally; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 30 per 100 persons in 2007 |
| Niue |
single-line telephone system connects all villages on island |
| Norfolk Island |
free local calls |
| Norway |
Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular-mobile systems instead of fixed-wire systems |
| Oman |
fixed-line phone service gradually being introduced to remote villages using wireless local loop systems; fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership both increasing; open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations |
| Pakistan |
microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks |
| Panama |
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is approaching 90 per 100 persons |
| Papua New Guinea |
access to telephone services is not widely available; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is 6 per 100 persons |
| Paraguay |
the fixed-line market is a state monopoly; deficiencies in provision of fixed-line service have resulted in a rapid expansion of mobile-cellular services fostered by competition among multiple providers |
| Peru |
fixed-line teledensity is only about 9 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity, spurred by competition among multiple providers, has increased to roughly 55 telephones per 100 persons; nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations |
| Philippines |
domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations; cellular communications now dominate the industry; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone density about 60 telephones per 100 persons |
| Pitcairn Islands |
domestic communication via radio (CB) |
| Poland |
mobile-cellular service available since 1993 and provided by three nation-wide networks with a fourth provider beginning operations in late 2006; cellular coverage is generally good with some gaps in the east; fixed-line service is growing slowly and still lags in rural areas |
| Portugal |
integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations |
| Puerto Rico |
digital telephone system; cellular telephone service |
| Qatar |
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone density is roughly 165 telephones per 100 persons |
| Romania |
more than 90 percent of telephone network is automatic; liberalization in 2003 is transforming telecommunications; fixed-line teledensity is roughly 20 telephones per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity now slightly exceeds 100 telephones per 100 persons |
| Russia |
cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are still outdated, inadequate, and low density |
| Rwanda |
the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone density is only about 7 telephones per 100 persons |
| Réunion |
modern open-wire and microwave radio relay network |
| Saint Barthelemy |
direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems |
| Saint Helena |
automatic digital network |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis |
interisland links via Eastern Caribbean Fiber Optic cable; construction of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in November 2004 |
| Saint Lucia |
system is automatically switched |
| Saint Martin |
direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines; mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 100 telephones per 100 persons |
| Samoa |
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 50 telephones per 100 persons |
| San Marino |
automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 130 telephones per 100 persons |
| Saudi Arabia |
extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems; mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing rapidly |
| Senegal |
above-average urban system with a fiber-optic network; nearly two-thirds of all fixed-line connections are in Dakar where a call-center industry is emerging; expansion of fixed-line services in rural areas needed; mobile-cellular service is expanding rapidly; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system |
| Serbia and Montenegro |
teledensity remains below the average for neighboring states; GSM wireless service, available through multiple providers with national coverage, is growing very rapidly; best telecommunications service limited to urban centers |
| Seychelles |
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is nearly 125 telephones per 100 persons; radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago |
| Sierra Leone |
the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects Freetown to Bo and Kenema |
| Singapore |
excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless service in February 2005; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 165 telephones per 100 persons |
| Slovakia |
analog system is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; 3 companies provide nationwide cellular services |
| Slovenia |
100% digital |
| Somalia |
local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers |
| South Africa |
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is nearly 110 telephones per 100 persons; consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria |
| Spain |
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is nearly 170 telephones per 100 persons |
| Sri Lanka |
national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and 2 fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems and mobile cellular subscribership is increasing; telephone density remains low |
| Sudan |
consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations |
| Suriname |
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity about 90 telephones per 100 persons; microwave radio relay network |
| Svalbard |
local telephone service |
| Swaziland |
mobile-cellular subscribership is increasing; combined fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity approaching 40 telephones per 100 persons; telephone system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay |
| Sweden |
coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels |
| Switzerland |
ranked among leading countries for fixed-line teledensity and infrastructure; mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 100 per 100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks |
| Syria |
the number of fixed-line connections has increased markedly since 2000; mobile-cellular service growing rapidly and teledensity about 35 wireless telephones per 100 persons; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network |
| São Tomé and Príncipe |
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 20 telephones per 100 persons |
| Taiwan |
thoroughly modern; completely digitalized |
| Tajikistan |
the domestic telecommunications network has historically been under funded and poorly maintained; main line availability has not changed significantly since 1998; cellular telephone use is growing but geographic coverage remains limited |
| Tanzania |
fixed-line telephone network inadequate with less than 1 connection per 100 persons; mobile-cellular service, aided by multiple providers, is increasing; trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being made digital |
| Thailand |
fixed line system provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines |
| Togo |
microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional system; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 15 telephones per 100 persons |
| Tokelau |
radiotelephone service between islands |
| Tonga |
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 40 telephones per 100 persons; fully automatic switched network |
| Trinidad and Tobago |
mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 125 telephones per 100 persons |
| Tunisia |
in an effort jumpstart expansion of the fixed-line network, the government has awarded a concession to build and operate a VSAT network with international connectivity; competition between the two mobile-cellular service providers has resulted in lower activation and usage charges and a strong surge in subscribership; expansion of mobile-cellular services to include multimedia messaging and e-mail and Internet to mobile phone services also leading to a surge in subscribership; overall fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 90 telephones per 100 persons |
| Turkey |
additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay, is facilitating communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile-cellular telephone service is growing rapidly |
| Turkmenistan |
Turkmentelekom, in cooperation with foreign investors, is planning to upgrade the country's telephone exchanges and install a new digital switching system; mobile-cellular usage remains limited |
| Turks and Caicos Islands |
full range of services available; GSM wireless service available |
| Tuvalu |
radiotelephone communications between islands |
| Uganda |
intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile-cellular systems for short-range traffic |
| Ukraine |
at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair; more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be satisfied; telephone density is rising and the domestic trunk system is being improved; about one-third of Ukraine's networks are digital and a majority of regional centers now have digital switching stations; improvements in local networks and local exchanges continue to lag; the mobile-cellular telephone system is expanding rapidly |
| United Arab Emirates |
microwave radio relay, fiber optic and coaxial cable |
| United Kingdom |
equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optic systems |
| United States |
a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country |
| Uruguay |
most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network; overall fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is 115 telephones per 100 persons |
| Uzbekistan |
the main line telecommunications system is dilapidated and telephone density is low; the state-owned telecommunications company, Uzbektelecom, is working on improving main line services; mobile services are growing swiftly, with the subscriber base more than doubling in 2007 to 5.8 million |
| Venezuela |
domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas; substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines; installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of digital multimedia services; fixed-line teledensity 20 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity more than 90 per 100 persons |
| Vietnam |
all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or microwave radio relay networks; main lines have been substantially increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly |
| Virgin Islands |
full range of services available |
| West Bank |
Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services |
| Yemen |
the national network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, tropospheric scatter, and GSM mobile-cellular telephone systems; fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity remains low by regional standards |
| Zambia |
high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation and network coverage is improving; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms |
| Zimbabwe |
consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, and a substantial mobile-cellular network; Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones |
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