Chapter M: Major infectious diseases (136)

This entry includes a brief general assessment of the system with
details on the domestic and international components. The following
terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry:
Arabsat - Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia).
Autodin - Automatic Digital Network (US Department of Defense).
CB - citizen's band mobile radio communications.
Cellular telephone system - the telephones in this system are radio
transceivers, with each instrument having its own private radio
frequency and sufficient radiated power to reach the booster station
in its area (cell), from which the telephone signal is fed to a
telephone exchange.
Central American Microwave System - a trunk microwave radio relay
system that links the countries of Central America and Mexico with
each other.
Coaxial cable - a multichannel communication cable consisting of a
central conducting wire, surrounded by and insulated from a
cylindrical conducting shell; a large number of telephone channels
can be made available within the insulated space by the use of a
large number of carrier frequencies.
Comsat - Communications Satellite Corporation (US).
DSN - Defense Switched Network (formerly Automatic Voice Network or
Autovon); basic general-purpose, switched voice network of the
Defense Communications System (US Department of Defense).
Eutelsat - European Telecommunications Satellite Organization
(Paris).
Fiber-optic cable - a multichannel communications cable using a
thread of optical glass fibers as a transmission medium in which the
signal (voice, video, etc.) is in the form of a coded pulse of light.
GSM - a global system for mobile (cellular) communications devised
by the Groupe Special Mobile of the pan-European standardization
organization, Conference Europeanne des Posts et Telecommunications
(CEPT) in 1982.
HF - high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-kHz
range.
Inmarsat - International Maritime Satellite Organization (London);
provider of global mobile satellite communications for commercial,
distress, and safety applications at sea, in the air, and on land.
Intelsat - International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
(Washington, DC).
Intersputnik - International Organization of Space Communications
(Moscow); first established in the former Soviet Union and the East
European countries, it is now marketing its services worldwide with
earth stations in North America, Africa, and East Asia.
Landline - communication wire or cable of any sort that is installed
on poles or buried in the ground.
Marecs - Maritime European Communications Satellite used in the
Inmarsat system on lease from the European Space Agency.
Marisat - satellites of the Comsat Corporation that participate in
the Inmarsat system.
Medarabtel - the Middle East Telecommunications Project of the
International Telecommunications Union (ITU) providing a modern
telecommunications network, primarily by microwave radio relay,
linking Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Saudi
Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen; it was initially
started in Morocco in 1970 by the Arab Telecommunications Union
(ATU) and was known at that time as the Middle East Mediterranean
Telecommunications Network.
Microwave radio relay - transmission of long distance telephone
calls and television programs by highly directional radio microwaves
that are received and sent on from one booster station to another on
an optical path.
NMT - Nordic Mobile Telephone; an analog cellular telephone system
that was developed jointly by the national telecommunications
authorities of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland,
Norway, and Sweden).
Orbita - a Russian television service; also the trade name of a
packet-switched digital telephone network.
Radiotelephone communications - the two-way transmission and
reception of sounds by broadcast radio on authorized frequencies
using telephone handsets.
PanAmSat - PanAmSat Corporation (Greenwich, CT).
SAFE - South African Far East Cable
Satellite communication system - a communication system consisting
of two or more earth stations and at least one satellite that
provide long distance transmission of voice, data, and television;
the system usually serves as a trunk connection between telephone
exchanges; if the earth stations are in the same country, it is a
domestic system.
Satellite earth station - a communications facility with a microwave
radio transmitting and receiving antenna and required receiving and
transmitting equipment for communicating with satellites.
Satellite link - a radio connection between a satellite and an earth
station permitting communication between them, either one-way (down
link from satellite to earth station - television receive-only
transmission) or two-way (telephone channels).
SHF - super high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to
30,000-MHz range.
Shortwave - radio frequencies (from 1.605 to 30 MHz) that fall above
the commercial broadcast band and are used for communication over
long distances.
Solidaridad - geosynchronous satellites in Mexico's system of
international telecommunications in the Western Hemisphere.
Statsionar - Russia's geostationary system for satellite
telecommunications.
Submarine cable - a cable designed for service under water.
TAT - Trans-Atlantic Telephone; any of a number of high-capacity
submarine coaxial telephone cables linking Europe with North America.
Telefax - facsimile service between subscriber stations via the
public switched telephone network or the international Datel network.
Telegraph - a telecommunications system designed for unmodulated
electric impulse transmission.
Telex - a communication service involving teletypewriters connected
by wire through automatic exchanges.
Tropospheric scatter - a form of microwave radio transmission in
which the troposphere is used to scatter and reflect a fraction of
the incident radio waves back to earth; powerful, highly directional
antennas are used to transmit and receive the microwave signals;
reliable over-the-horizon communications are realized for distances
up to 600 miles in a single hop; additional hops can extend the
range of this system for very long distances.
Trunk network - a network of switching centers, connected by
multichannel trunk lines.
UHF - ultra high frequency; any radio frequency in the 300- to
3,000-MHz range.
VHF - very high frequency; any radio frequency in the 30- to 300-MHz
range.
Country

Telephone system

Afghanistan
general assessment: limited landline telephone service;
an increasing number of Afghans utilize mobile-cellular phone
networks in major cities
domestic: aided by the presence of multiple providers,
mobile-cellular telephone service is improving rapidly
international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul,
Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide international
and domestic voice and data connectivity (2007)

Albania
general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines,
the density of main lines remains low with roughly 10 lines per 100
people; cellular telephone use is widespread and generally
effective; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density is
approaching 100 telephones per 100 persons
domestic: 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
international: country code - 355; submarine cable provides
connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; the Trans-Balkan Line, a
combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system, provides
additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey;
international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when
necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to
Italy and Greece (2008)

Algeria
general assessment: a weak network of fixed-main lines,
which remains at roughly 10 telephones per 100 persons, is offset by
the rapid increase in mobile cellular subscribership; in 2008,
combined fixed-line and mobile telephone density surpassed 100
telephones per 100 persons
domestic: 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
international: country code - 213; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4
fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe,
the Middle East, and Asia; microwave radio relay to Italy, France,
Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia;
participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 51 (Intelsat,
Intersputnik, and Arabsat) (2008)

American Samoa
general assessment: NA
domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile, and cellular telephone
services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1
(Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)

Andorra
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections
between exchanges
international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and
Spain

Angola
general assessment: system inadequate; fewer than one
fixed-line per 100 persons; combined fixed line and mobile telephone
density exceeded 50 telephones per 100 persons in 2008
domestic: 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
international: country code - 244; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
Asia; satellite earth stations - 29 (2008)

Anguilla
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern internal telephone system
international: country code - 1-264; landing point for the East
Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other
islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin
Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin
(Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) (2007)

Antarctica
general assessment: local systems at some research
stations
domestic: commercial cellular networks operating in a small number
of locations
international: country code - none allocated; via satellite
(including mobile Inmarsat and Iridium systems) to and from all
research stations, ships, aircraft, and most field parties (2007)

Antigua and Barbuda
general assessment: NA
domestic: good automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-268; landing point for the East
Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other
islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin
Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 2; tropospheric
scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe (2007)

Argentina
general assessment: by opening the telecommunications
market to competition and foreign investment with the
"Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina
encouraged the growth of modern telecommunications technology;
fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major
cities; major networks are entirely digital and the availability of
telephone service is improving; fixed-line telephone density is
gradually increasing reaching nearly 25 lines per 100 people in
2008; mobile telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly
and has reached a level of 115 telephones per 100 persons
domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic
satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;
mobile telephone use is rapidly expanding; broadband services are
gaining ground
international: country code - 54; landing point for the Atlantis-2,
UNISUR, and South America-1 optical submarine cable systems that
provide links to Europe, Africa, South and Central America, and US;
satellite earth stations - 112; 2 international gateways near Buenos
Aires (2008)

Armenia
general assessment: telecommunications investments have made
major inroads in modernizing and upgrading the outdated
telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; now 100%
privately owned and undergoing modernization and expansion;
mobile-cellular services monopoly terminated in late 2004 and a
second provider began operations in mid-2005
domestic: 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
international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the
Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional
international service is available by microwave radio relay and
landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of
Independent States, through the Moscow international switch, and by
satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 3
(2007)

Aruba
general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications
system
domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless
service providers are now licensed
international: country code - 297; landing site for the PAN-AM
submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from the US
Virgin Islands through Aruba to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the
west coast of South America; extensive interisland microwave radio
relay links (2007)

Australia
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
service
domestic: domestic satellite system; significant use of
radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of
mobile cellular telephones
international: country code - 61; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the
Middle East, and Europe; the Southern Cross fiber optic submarine
cable provides links to New Zealand and the United States; satellite
earth stations - 19 (10 Intelsat - 4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific
Ocean, 2 Inmarsat - Indian and Pacific Ocean regions, 2 Globalstar,
5 other) (2007)

Austria
general assessment: highly developed and efficient
domestic: 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
international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 15; in
addition, there are about 600 VSATs (very small aperture terminals)
(2007)

Azerbaijan
general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable
expansion and modernization; teledensity of 15 main lines per 100
persons is low; mobile-cellular penetration has increased rapidly
and is currently about 80 telephones per 100 persons
domestic: 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
international: country code - 994; the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE)
fiber-optic link transits Azerbaijan providing international
connectivity to neighboring countries; the old Soviet system of
cable and microwave is still serviceable; satellite earth stations -
2 (2008)

Bahamas, The
general assessment: modern facilities
domestic: 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
international: country code - 1-242; landing point for the Americas
Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic submarine cable
that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the
Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 (2007)

Bahrain
general assessment: modern system
domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network
with rapidly growing use of mobile-cellular telephones
international: country code - 973; landing point for the Fiber-Optic
Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides
links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US; tropospheric scatter to
Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite
earth station - 1 (2007)

Bangladesh
general assessment: inadequate for a modern country;
fixed-line telephone density remains less than 1 per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly
and has reached 30 per 100 persons
domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems
include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some
fiber-optic cable in cities
international: country code - 880; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4
fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe,
the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 6;
international radiotelephone communications and landline service to
neighboring countries (2008)

Barbados
general assessment: fixed-line teledensity of roughly 50
per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density approaching 150
per 100 persons
domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-246; landing point for the East
Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other
islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin
Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 1 (Intelsat
-Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
(2008)

Belarus
general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in
upgrading telecommunications infrastructure; state-owned Beltelcom
is the sole provider of fixed-line local and long distance service;
fixed-line teledensity of roughly 35 per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular telephone density of about 90 per 100 persons;
modernization of the network progressing with roughly two-thirds of
switching equipment now digital
domestic: 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
international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the
Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line,
and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); 3 fiber-optic
segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and
Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this
infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat,
Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations (2008)

Belgium
general assessment: highly developed, technologically
advanced, and completely automated domestic and international
telephone and telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable
network; limited microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 32; landing point for a number of
submarine cables that provide links to Europe, the Middle East, and
Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2007)

Belize
general assessment: above-average system; fixed-line
teledensity of 10 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density
roughly 55 per 100 persons
domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
international: country code - 501; landing point for the Americas
Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic
telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and
Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth
station - 8 (Intelsat - 2, unknown - 6) (2008)

Benin
general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line network
characterized by aging, deteriorating equipment with fixed-line
teledensity only about 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone
subscribership has been increasing rapidly
domestic: system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular
connections; multiple mobile-cellular providers
international: country code - 229; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
Asia; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Bermuda
general assessment: good
domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic
trunk lines
international: country code - 1-441; landing point for the
Atlantica-1 telecommunications submarine cable that extends from the
US to Brazil; satellite earth stations - 3 (2007)

Bhutan
general assessment: urban towns and district headquarters
have telecommunications services
domestic: low teledensity; domestic service is very poor especially
in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003
international: country code - 975; international telephone and
telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2008)

Bolivia
general assessment: privatization begun in 1995; reliability
has steadily improved; new subscribers face bureaucratic
difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other
cities; mobile-cellular telephone use expanding rapidly; fixed-line
teledensity of 7 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density
slighly exceeds 50 per 100 persons
domestic: 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
international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
general assessment: post-war reconstruction
of the telecommunications network, aided by a internationally
sponsored program under ERBD, resulted in sharp increases in the
number of main telephone lines available; mobile cellular
subscribership has been increasing rapidly
domestic: fixed-line teledensity roughly 22 per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular telephone density has reached 70 per 100 persons
international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations (2008)

Botswana
general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth
of mobile-cellular service and participation in regional
development; system is fully digital with fiber-optic cables linking
the major population centers in the east; fixed-line connections
declined in recent years and now stand at roughly 8 per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular telephone density currently is about 80 per 100
persons
domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations;
mobile-cellular service is growing fast
international: country code - 267; international calls are made via
satellite, using international direct dialing; 2 international
exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean) (2008)

Brazil
general assessment: good working system; fixed-line
connections have remained relatively stable in recent years and
stand at about 20 per 100 persons; less expensive mobile cellular
technology is a major driver in expanding telephone service to the
low-income segment of the population with mobile-cellular telephone
density reaching 80 per 100 persons
domestic: 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
international: country code - 55; landing point for a number of
submarine cables, including Atlantis 2, that provide direct links to
South and Central America, the Caribbean, the US, Africa, and
Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1
Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay
system to Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station (2008)

British Indian Ocean Territory
general assessment: separate
facilities for military and public needs are available
domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including
connection to the Internet
international: country code (Diego Garcia) - 246; international
telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)

British Virgin Islands
general assessment: worldwide telephone
service
domestic: fixed line connections exceed 75 per 100 persons and
mobile cellular subscribership is approaching 100 per 100 persons
international: country code - 1-284; connected via submarine cable
to Bermuda; the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable
provides connectivity to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean
(2008)

Brunei
general assessment: service throughout the country is
excellent; international service is good to Southeast Asia, Middle
East, Western Europe, and the US
domestic: every service available
international: country code - 673; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to
Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; the Asia-America Gateway
submarine cable network, scheduled for completion by late 2008, will
provide new links to Asia and the US; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2007)

Bulgaria
general assessment: an extensive but antiquated
telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; quality
has improved; the Bulgaria Telecommunications Company's fixed-line
monopoly terminated in 2005 when alternative fixed-line operators
were given access to its network; a drop in fixed-line connections
in recent years has been more than offset by a sharp increase in
mobile-cellular telephone use fostered by multiple service
providers; the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now
greatly exceeds the population
domestic: 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
international: country code - 359; submarine cable provides
connectivity to Ukraine and Russia; a combination submarine cable
and land fiber-optic system provides connectivity to Italy, Albania,
and Macedonia; satellite earth stations - 3 (1 Intersputnik in the
Atlantic Ocean region, 2 Intelsat in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean
regions) (2008)

Burkina Faso
general assessment: services only fair; in 2006 the
government sold a 51 percent stake in the national telephone company
and ultimately plans to retain only a 23 percent stake in the
company; fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100
persons; mobile-cellular usage, fostered by multiple providers, is
increasing rapidly from a low base
domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone
communication stations
international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Burma
general assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and
intercity service for business and government
domestic: system barely capable of providing basic service; cellular
phone system is grossly underdeveloped with a subscribership base of
less than 1 per 100 persons
international: country code - 95; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to
Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2,
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and ShinSat (2008)

Burundi
general assessment: primitive system; telephone density one
of the lowest in the world; fixed-line connections stand at well
less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage is increasing but
remains at a meager 5 per 100 persons
domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,
and low-capacity microwave radio relay
international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)

Cambodia
general assessment: mobile-phone systems are widely used in
urban areas to bypass deficiencies in the fixed-line network;
fixed-line connections stand at well less than 1 per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular usage, aided by increasing competition among service
providers, is increasing and stands at 30 per 100 persons
domestic: adequate landline and/or cellular service in Phnom Penh
and other provincial cities; mobile-phone coverage is rapidly
expanding in rural areas
international: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landline
and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and
major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region) (2008)

Cameroon
general assessment: fixed-line connections stand at less
than 1 per 100 persons; equipment is old and outdated, and
connections with many parts of the country are unreliable;
mobile-cellular usage, in part a reflection of the poor condition
and general inadequacy of the fixed-line network, has increased
sharply, reaching a subscribership base of 33 per 100 persons
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 237; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Canada
general assessment: excellent service provided by modern
technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
international: country code - 1; submarine cables provide links to
the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4
Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean, and 2 Intersputnik - Atlantic
Ocean region) (2007)

Cape Verde
general assessment: effective system, extensive
modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995
domestic: 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
international: country code - 238; landing point for the Atlantis-2
fiber-optic transatlantic telephone cable that provides links to
South America, Senegal, and Europe; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and
Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
(2007)

Cayman Islands
general assessment: reasonably good system
domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003; introduction of
competition in the mobile-cellular market in 2004
international: country code - 1-345; landing point for the MAYA-1
submarine telephone cable network that provides links to the US and
parts of Central and South America; submarine cable provides
connectivity to Jamaica; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Central African Republic
general assessment: limited telephone
service; fixed-line connections for well less than 1 per 100 persons
coupled with mobile-cellular usage of only about 3 per 100 persons;
most fixed-line and cellular telephone services are concentrated in
Bangui
domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and
low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication
international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Chad
general assessment: primitive system with high costs and low
telephone density; fixed-line connections for only about 1 per 1000
persons coupled with mobile-cellular subscribership base of less
than 20 per 100 persons
domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Chile
general assessment: privatization begun in 1988; most advanced
telecommunications infrastructure in South America; modern system
based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities; fixed-line
connections have dropped in recent years as mobile-cellular usage
continues to increase, reaching a level of 90 telephones per 100
persons
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite
system with 3 earth stations
international: country code - 56; submarine cables provide links to
the US and to Central and South America; satellite earth stations -
2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

China
general assessment: domestic and international services are
increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed
domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and
many towns; China continues to develop its telecommunications
infrastructure, and is partnering with foreign providers to expand
its global reach; China in the summer of 2008 began a major
restructuring of its telecommunications industry, resulting in the
consolidation of its six telecom service operators to three, China
Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom, each providing both
fixed-line and mobile services
domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular
telephone systems have been installed; mobile-cellular
subscribership is increasing rapidly; the number of Internet users
exceeded 250 million by summer 2008; a domestic satellite system
with 55 earth stations is in place
international: country code - 86; a number of submarine cables
provide connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US;
satellite earth stations - 7 (5 Intelsat - 4 Pacific Ocean and 1
Indian Ocean; 1 Intersputnik - Indian Ocean region; and 1 Inmarsat -
Pacific and Indian Ocean regions) (2008)

Christmas Island
general assessment: service provided by the
Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system
in February 2005
international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth station - 1
(Intelsat provides telephone and telex service) (2005)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
general assessment: connected within
Australia's telecommunication system; a local mobile-cellular
network is in operation
domestic: NA
international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile
communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; satellite
earth station - 1 (Intelsat) (2001)

Colombia
general assessment: modern system in many respects;
telecommunications sector liberalized during the 1990s; multiple
providers of both fixed-line and mobile-cellular services;
fixed-line connections stand at about 15 per 100 persons; mobile
cellular telephone subscribership is about 90 per 100 persons;
competition among cellular service providers is resulting in falling
local and international calling rates and contributing to the steep
decline in the market share of fixed line services
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic
satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking
50 cities
international: country code - 57; submarine cables provide links to
the US, parts of the Caribbean, and Central and South America;
satellite earth stations - 10 (6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 3 fully
digitalized international switching centers) (2008)

Comoros
general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay
and HF radiotelephone communication stations; fixed-line connections
only about 3 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage about 5 per 100
persons
domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications
to Madagascar and Reunion

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
general assessment: fixed line
infrastructure inadequate with the state-owned operator providing
less than 1 connection per 1000 persons; given the backdrop of a
wholly inadequate fixed-line infrastructure, the use of cellular
services has surged and subscribership in 2008 approached 9.3
million - roughly 15 per 100 persons
domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in
and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth
stations
international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Congo, Republic of the
general assessment: services barely adequate
for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire,
and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order; fixed-line
infrastructure inadequate providing less than 1 connection per 100
persons; in the absence of an adequate fixed line infrastructure,
mobile-cellular subscribership has surged and is approaching 50 per
100 persons
domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and
coaxial cable
international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Cook Islands
general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers
international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex
domestic: 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
international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Costa Rica
general assessment: good domestic telephone service in
terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service;
state-run monopoly provider is struggling with the demand for new
lines, resulting in long waiting times
domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,
fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is
available
international: country code - 506; landing point for the Americas
Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic
telecommunications submarine cable and the MAYA-1 submarine cable
that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the
Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave
System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Cote d'Ivoire
general assessment: well developed by African
standards; telecommunications sector privatized in late 1990s and
operational fixed-lines have more than quadrupled since that time;
with multiple cellular service providers competing in the market,
cellular usage has increased sharply to roughly 55 per 100 persons
domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
international: country code - 225; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1
Indian Ocean) (2008)

Croatia
general assessment: the telecommunications network has
improved steadily since the mid-1990s; the number of fixed telephone
lines holding steady at about 40 per 100 persons; the number of
cellular telephone subscriptions exceeds the population
domestic: more than 90 percent of local lines are digital
international: country code - 385; digital international service is
provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in
the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of 2
fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk
line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; the ADRIA-1 submarine cable
provides connectivity to Albania and Greece (2008)

Cuba
general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and
the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and
Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system;
wireless service is expensive and must be paid in convertible pesos,
which effectively limits mobile cellular subscribership
domestic: 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 3 per 100 persons
international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not
linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region) (2008)

Cyprus
general assessment: excellent in both area under government
control and area administered by Turkish Cypriots
domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 357 (area administered by Turkish
Cypriots uses the country code of Turkey - 90); a number of
submarine cables, including the SEA-ME-WE-3, combine to provide
connectivity to Western Europe, the Middle East, and Asia;
tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 8 (3 Intelsat - 1
Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1
Arabsat)

Czech Republic
general assessment: privatization and modernization
of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is
advancing steadily; access to the fixed-line telephone network
expanded throughout the 1990s but the number of fixed line
connections has been dropping since then; mobile telephone usage
increased sharply beginning in the mid-1990s and the number of
cellular telephone subscriptions now greatly exceeds the population
domestic: 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
international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 6 (2
Intersputnik - Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions, 1 Intelsat, 1
Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar) (2008)

Denmark
general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph
services
domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form
trunk network, multiple cellular mobile communications systems
international: country code - 45; a series of fiber-optic submarine
cables link Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth
stations - 18 (6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat
(Blaavand-Atlantic-East)); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark,
Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station
and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (2008)

Djibouti
general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of
Djibouti are adequate, as are the microwave radio relay connections
to outlying areas of the country
domestic: microwave radio relay network; mobile cellular coverage is
primarily limited to the area in and around Djibouti city
international: country code - 253; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
optical telecommunications submarine cable with links to Asia, the
Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat -
Indian Ocean and 1 Arabsat); Medarabtel regional microwave radio
relay telephone network (2007)

Dominica
general assessment: NA
domestic: fully automatic network
international: country code - 1-767; landing point for the East
Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13
other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British
Virgin Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay and SHF
radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF
radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Dominican Republic
general assessment: relatively efficient system
based on island-wide microwave radio relay network
domestic: fixed telephone line density is about 10 per 100 persons;
multiple providers of mobile cellular service with a subscribership
of roughly 75 per 100 persons
international: country code - 1-809; landing point for the Americas
Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic
telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and
Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Ecuador
general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
domestic: 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
14 per 100 persons; mobile cellular use has surged and has a
subscribership of nearly 85 per 100 persons
international: country code - 593; landing point for the PAN-AM
submarine telecommunications cable that provides links to the west
coast of South America, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and extending
onward to Aruba and the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Egypt
general assessment: large system; underwent extensive
upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Telecom Egypt, the
landline monopoly, has been increasing service availability and in
2008 fixed-line density stood at 15 per 100 persons; as of 2008
there were three mobile-cellular networks with a total of more than
41 million subscribers, roughly 50 per 100 persons
domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,
Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and
microwave radio relay
international: country code - 20; landing point for both the
SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks; linked to the
international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the
Globe); satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean
and Indian Ocean, 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat); tropospheric scatter
to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in
Medarabtel (2008)

El Salvador
general assessment: multiple mobile-cellular service
providers are expanding services rapidly and in 2008 mobile-cellular
density stood at nearly 100 per 100 persons; growth in fixed-line
services has slowed in the face of mobile-cellular competition
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
System (2008)

Equatorial Guinea
general assessment: digital fixed-line network in
most major urban areas and good mobile coverage
domestic: fixed-line density is about 2 per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing and in 2008 stood
at about 55 percent of the population
international: country code - 240; international communications from
Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)

Eritrea
general assessment: inadequate; combined fixed-line and
mobile cellular subscribership is only about 3 per 100 persons (2008)
domestic: inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is
seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)
international: country code - 291; note - international connections
exist

Estonia
general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint
business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial
fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in
the digital mode; Internet services are widely available; schools
and libraries are connected to the Internet, a large percentage of
the population files income-tax returns online, and online voting
was used for the first time in the 2005 local elections
domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet
services is available throughout the country
international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland,
Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched
service; 2 international switches are located in Tallinn (2008)

Ethiopia
general assessment: inadequate telephone system; the number
of fixed lines and mobile telephones is increasing from a very small
base; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity is only about 5
per 100 persons
domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in
the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; 2 domestic satellites provide the
national trunk service
international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti;
microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth
stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean) (2008)

European Union
note - see individual country entries of member states

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
general assessment: NA
domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB
radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all
points on both islands
international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other
countries

Faroe Islands
general assessment: good international communications;
good domestic facilities
domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog)
and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed
international: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1
Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands,
linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic
submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable

Fiji
general assessment: modern local, interisland, and
international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose
telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio
communications center
domestic: 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 80 per 100 persons
international: country code - 679; access to important cable links
between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite
earth stations - 2 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Finland
general assessment: modern system with excellent service
domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive
cellular network provide domestic needs
international: country code - 358; submarine cables provide links to
Estonia and Sweden; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat
transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1
Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares
the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,
Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

France
general assessment: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive use
of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
international: country code - 33; numerous submarine cables provide
links throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and US;
satellite earth stations - more than 3 (2 Intelsat (with total of 5
antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA
Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat - Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone
communications with more than 20 countries
overseas departments: country codes: French Guiana - 594; Guadeloupe
- 590; Martinique - 596; Reunion - 262

French Polynesia
general assessment: NA
domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular density is roughly 85
per 100 persons
international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Gabon
general assessment: adequate service by African standards and
improving with the help of a growing mobile cell network system with
multiple providers; mobile-cellular subscribership reached nearly 90
per 100 persons in 2008
domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay,
tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a
domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
international: country code - 241; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Gambia, The
general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data
network is available; state-owned Gambia Telecommunications
partially privatized in 2007
domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire;
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity reached 70
telephones per 100 persons in 2008
international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to
Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Gaza Strip
general assessment: NA
domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL
are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWAL
company provides cellular services
international: country code - 970 (2004)

Georgia
general assessment: fixed-line telecommunications network
has only limited coverage outside Tbilisi; long list of people
waiting for fixed line connections; multiple mobile-cellular
providers provide services to an increasing subscribership
throughout the country
domestic: cellular telephone networks now cover the entire country;
mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 75 per 100 people; urban
fixed-line 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
international: country code - 995; the Georgia-Russia fiber optic
submarine cable provides connectivity to Russia; international
service is available by microwave, landline, and satellite through
the Moscow switch; international electronic mail and telex service
are available

Germany
general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most
technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of
intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly
backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to
World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the
western part
domestic: 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
international: country code - 49; Germany's international service is
excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable
facilities as well as earth stations in the Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Eutelsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems (2001)

Ghana
general assessment: outdated and unreliable fixed-line
infrastructure heavily concentrated in Accra; competition among
multiple mobile-cellular providers has spurred growth with a
subscribership of 50 per 100 persons and rising
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has
been installed
international: country code - 233; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC
fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and
Asia; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its
neighbors (2008)

Gibraltar
general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system
and adequate international facilities
domestic: automatic exchange facilities
international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio
relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Greece
general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all
areas; good mobile telephone and international service
domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire
connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
international: country code - 30; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to
Europe, Middle East, and Asia; a number of smaller submarine cables
provide connectivity to various parts of Europe, the Middle East,
and Cyprus; tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 4 (2
Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1
Inmarsat - Indian Ocean region)

Greenland
general assessment: adequate domestic and international
service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay;
totally digitalized in 1995
domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite
international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 15 (12
Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)) (2000)

Grenada
general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system
domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
international: country code - 1-473; landing point for the East
Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13
other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British
Virgin Islands to Trinidad; SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and
Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad

Guam
general assessment: modern system, integrated with US
facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service
and local access to the Internet
international: country code - 1-671; major landing point for
submarine cables between Asia and the US (Guam is a trans-Pacific
communications hub for major carriers linking the US and Asia);
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Guatemala
general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the
city of Guatemala
domestic: state-owned telecommunications company privatized in the
late 1990s opening the way for competition; fixed-line teledensity
11 per 100 persons; fixed-line investments are being concentrated on
improving rural connectivity; mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds
100 per 100 persons
international: country code - 502; landing point for both the
Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the SAM-1 fiber
optic submarine cable system that together provide connectivity to
South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US;
connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Guernsey
general assessment: NA
domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services widely available;
combined fixed and mobile-cellular density exceeds 100 per 100
persons
international: 1 submarine cable

Guinea
general assessment: inadequate system of open-wire lines,
small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio
relay system
domestic: Conakry reasonably well served; coverage elsewhere remains
inadequate and large companies tend to rely on their own systems for
nationwide links; fixed-line density less than 1 per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular subscribership is expanding and is roughly 25 per
100 persons
international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Guinea-Bissau
general assessment: small system
domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,
radiotelephone, and cellular communications; fixed-line teledensity
less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity approached
35 per 100 in 2008
international: country code - 245 (2008)

Guyana
general assessment: fair system for long-distance service
domestic: 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
international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Haiti
general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is among
the least developed in Latin America and the Caribbean; domestic
facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly
better; mobile-cellular telephone services are expanding rapidly
due, in part, to the introduction of low-cost GSM phones in 2006
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service
international: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Holy See (Vatican City)
general assessment: automatic digital
exchange
domestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network
international: country code - 39; uses Italian system

Honduras
general assessment: the number of fixed-line connections
are increasing but still limited; competition among multiple
providers of mobile-cellular services is contributing to a sharp
increase in the number of subscribers
domestic: beginning in 2003, private sub-operators allowed to
provide fixed-lines in order to expand telephone coverage
contributing to an increase in fixed-line teledensity to roughly 10
per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership exceeded 80 per 100
persons in 2008
international: country code - 504; landing point for both the
Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the MAYA-1 fiber
optic submarine cable system that together provide connectivity to
South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to
Central American Microwave System

Hong Kong
general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent
domestic and international services
domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic
network
international: country code - 852; multiple international submarine
cables provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East,
and Western Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific
Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China

Hungary
general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized
and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication
service
domestic: 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
international: country code - 36; Hungary has fiber-optic cable
connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch
is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture
terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals

Iceland
general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is
modern and fully digitized, with satellite-earth stations,
fiber-optic cables, and an extensive broadband network
domestic: liberalization of the telecommunications sector beginning
in the late 1990s has led to increased competition especially in the
mobile services segment of the market
international: country code - 354; the CANTAT-3 and FARICE-1
submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Canada, the Faroe
Islands, UK, Denmark, and Germany; a planned new section of the
Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable will provide additional
connectivity to Canada, US, and Ireland; satellite earth stations -
2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)