Chapter CXVIII: Section 3: , Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: 886 (2) 2162-2000, FAX (49)

New Zealand
18 years of age; universal

Nicaragua
16 years of age; universal

Niger
18 years of age; universal

Nigeria
18 years of age; universal

Niue
18 years of age; universal

Norfolk Island
18 years of age; universal

Northern Mariana Islands
18 years of age; universal; indigenous
inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential
elections

Norway
18 years of age; universal

Oman
in Oman's most recent Majlis al-Shura elections in 2003,
suffrage was universal for all Omanis over age 21 except for members
of the military and security forces; the next Majlis al-Shura
elections are scheduled for 2007

Pakistan
18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved
parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Palau
18 years of age; universal

Panama
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Papua New Guinea
18 years of age; universal

Paraguay
18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Peru
18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70;
note - members of the military and national police may not vote

Philippines
18 years of age; universal

Pitcairn Islands
18 years of age; universal with three years
residency

Poland
18 years of age; universal

Portugal
18 years of age; universal

Puerto Rico
18 years of age; universal; island residents are US
citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Qatar
18 years of age; universal

Reunion
18 years of age; universal

Romania
18 years of age; universal

Russia
18 years of age; universal

Rwanda
18 years of age; universal adult

Saint Helena
NA years of age

Saint Kitts and Nevis
18 years of age; universal

Saint Lucia
18 years of age; universal

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
18 years of age; universal

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
18 years of age; universal

Samoa
21 years of age; universal

San Marino
18 years of age; universal

Sao Tome and Principe
18 years of age; universal

Saudi Arabia
adult male citizens age 21 or older
note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial
municipal council elections held nationwide from February through
April 2005

Senegal
18 years of age; universal

Serbia
18 universal

Seychelles
17 years of age; universal

Sierra Leone
18 years of age; universal

Singapore
21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Slovakia
18 years of age; universal

Slovenia
18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Solomon Islands
21 years of age; universal

Somalia
18 years of age; universal

South Africa
18 years of age; universal

Spain
18 years of age; universal

Sri Lanka
18 years of age; universal

Sudan
17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory

Suriname
18 years of age; universal

Swaziland
18 years of age

Sweden
18 years of age; universal

Switzerland
18 years of age; universal

Syria
18 years of age; universal

Taiwan
20 years of age; universal

Tajikistan
18 years of age; universal

Tanzania
18 years of age; universal

Thailand
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Togo
NA years of age; universal adult

Tokelau
21 years of age; universal

Tonga
21 years of age; universal

Trinidad and Tobago
18 years of age; universal

Tunisia
20 years of age; universal

Turkey
18 years of age; universal

Turkmenistan
18 years of age; universal

Turks and Caicos Islands
18 years of age; universal

Tuvalu
18 years of age; universal

Uganda
18 years of age; universal

Ukraine
18 years of age; universal

United Arab Emirates
none

United Kingdom
18 years of age; universal

United States
18 years of age; universal

Uruguay
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Uzbekistan
18 years of age; universal

Vanuatu
18 years of age; universal

Venezuela
18 years of age; universal

Vietnam
18 years of age; universal

Virgin Islands
18 years of age; universal; island residents are US
citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Wallis and Futuna
18 years of age; universal

Western Sahara
none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign
not yet completed

Yemen
18 years of age; universal

Zambia
18 years of age; universal

Zimbabwe
18 years of age; universal

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006

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@2124 Telephone system

Afghanistan
general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph
service
domestic: telephone service is improving with the licensing of four
wireless telephone service providers by 2005; approximately 4 in 100
Afghans own a wireless telephone; telephone main lines remain
limited.
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

Albania
general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines,
the density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly
seven lines per 100 people; however, cellular telephone use is
widespread and generally effective
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 Balkan neighbors
international: country code - 355; inadequate fixed main lines;
adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by
fiber optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from
the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2003)

Algeria
general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very
low, not exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of
fixed main lines increased in the last few years to nearly 2.6
million, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers; much
of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient
domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic
satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic
earth stations are planned)
international: country code - 213; submarine cables - 5; 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) (2005)

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 - 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: telephone service limited mostly to
government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for
military links
domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and
tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 244; satellite earth stations - 29;
fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to
Europe and Asia (2005)

Anguilla
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern internal telephone system
international: country code - 1-264; microwave radio relay to island
of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Antarctica
general assessment: local systems at some research
stations
domestic: commercial cellular networks operating in a small number
of locations
international: country code - 672; via satellite (including mobile
Inmarsat and Iridium systems) from all research stations, ships,
aircraft, and most field parties

Antigua and Barbuda
general assessment: NA
domestic: good automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-268; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth station - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba
(Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe

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; the major networks are entirely digital and the availability
of telephone service is improving; however, telephone density is
presently minimal, and making telephone service universally
available will take time
domestic: 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
international: country code - 54; satellite earth stations - 112;
Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables; two international gateways
near Buenos Aires (2005)

Armenia
general assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately
owned and undergoing modernization and expansion
domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment
are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)
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 and through the Moscow international switch and
by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 3
(2005)

Aruba
general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications
system
domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless
service providers are now licensed
international: country code - 297; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten
(Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay
links

Australia
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
service
domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in
areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular
telephones
international: country code - 61; submarine cables to New Zealand,
Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 19 (10
Intelsat - 4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean, 2 Inmarsat - Indian
and Pacific Ocean regions, 2 Globalstar, 5 other) (2005)

Austria
general assessment: highly developed and efficient
domestic: there are 45 main lines for every 100 persons; 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 VSAT (very small aperture terminals)
(2005)

Azerbaijan
general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable
expansion and modernization; teledensity of 14 main lines per 100
persons is low (2002)
domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other
industrial centers - about 700 villages still without public
telephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modern
switch in its exclave of Naxcivan
international: country code - 994; the old Soviet system of cable
and microwave is still serviceable; satellite earth stations - 2
(2005)

Bahamas, The
general assessment: modern facilities
domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed
international: country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter and
submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 2 (2005)

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; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and
UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to
Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 1 (1997)

Bangladesh
general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern
country
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; satellite earth stations - 6;
international radiotelephone communications and landline service to
neighboring countries (2005)

Barbados
general assessment: NA
domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 1
(Intelsat -Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and
Saint Lucia

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;
modernization of the network to digital switching progressing slowly
domestic: fixed line penetration is improving although rural areas
continue to be underserved; four 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); three 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

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; submarine cables - 5; satellite
earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2005)

Belize
general assessment: above-average system
domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
international: country code - 501; satellite earth station - 8
(Intelsat - 2, unknown - 6) (2005)

Benin
general assessment: NA
domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and
cellular connections
international: country code - 229; satellite earth station - 7
(Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Bermuda
general assessment: good
domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic
trunk lines
international: country code - 1-441; submarine cables - 3 (fiber
optic); satellite earth stations - 3 (2005)

Bhutan
general assessment: telecommunications facilities are poor
domestic: very 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 (2005)

Bolivia
general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic
difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other
cities; mobile cellular telephone use expanding rapidly
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)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
general assessment: telephone and telegraph
network needs modernization and expansion; many urban areas are
below average as contrasted with services in other former Yugoslav
republics
domestic: NA
international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations

Botswana
general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth
of mobile cellular service and participation in regional development
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; two international exchanges;
digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Brazil
general assessment: good working system
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic
satellite system with 64 earth stations
international: country code - 55; 3 coaxial submarine cables;
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

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: international telephone service is carried by
satellite (2000)

British Virgin Islands
general assessment: worldwide telephone
service
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda

Brunei
general assessment: service throughout the country is
excellent; international service is good to East Asia, Europe, and
the US
domestic: every service available
international: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine
cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2001)

Bulgaria
general assessment: extensive but antiquated
domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential;
telephone service is available in most villages; 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; direct dialing to 58 countries;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2
Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)

Burkina Faso
general assessment: all services only fair
domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone
communication stations
international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Burma
general assessment: barely meets minimum requirements for
local and intercity service for business and government;
international service is fair
domestic: NA
international: country code - 95; satellite earth station - 2,
Intelsat (Indian Ocean), and ShinSat

Burundi
general assessment: primitive system
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)

Cambodia
general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular
service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile phone
coverage is rapidly expanding in rural areas
domestic: NA
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)

Cameroon
general assessment: available only to business and
government
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 237; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Canada
general assessment: excellent service provided by modern
technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
international: country code - 1-xxx; 5 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1
Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

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
international: country code - 238; 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF
radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station
- 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Cayman Islands
general assessment: reasonably good system
domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003 reflected in
falling prices and improving services
international: country code - 1-345; 2 submarine fiber optic cables
(Maya-1, Cayman-Jamaica); satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)

Central African Republic
general assessment: fair system
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)

Chad
general assessment: primitive system
domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Chile
general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave
radio relay facilities
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite
system with three earth stations
international: country code - 56; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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
domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular
telephone systems have been installed; a domestic satellite system
with 55 earth stations is in place
international: country code - 86; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
regions); several international fiber-optic links to Japan, South
Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and Germany (2000)

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 stations - one
INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
general assessment: connected within
Australia's telecommunication system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile
communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1
INTELSAT satellite earth station

Colombia
general assessment: modern system in many respects
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic
satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking
50 cities
international: country code - 57; satellite earth stations - 6
Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching
centers; 8 submarine cables

Comoros
general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay
and HF radiotelephone communication stations
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: poor
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)

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
domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and
coaxial cable
international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Cook Islands
general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers
international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex
domestic: the 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
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; connected to Central American
Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Cote d'Ivoire
general assessment: well developed by African
standards but operating well below capacity
domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
international: country code - 225; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 submarine cables
(June 1999)

Croatia
general assessment: NA
domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog
circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be
included in the plan for the main trunk
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
two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic
trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also
investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany,
Albania, and Greece

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 remains restricted to foreigners
and regime elites, many Cubans procure wireless service illegally
with the help of foreigners
domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 85% of
switches digitized by end of 2004; telephone line density remains
low, at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service
expanding
international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not
linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region)

Cyprus
general assessment: excellent in both Republic of Cyprus and
north Cyprus areas
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); tropospheric
scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 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; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones
is particularly vigorous
domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber
systems now being 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 - 2
Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1
Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar

Denmark
general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph
services
domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form
trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems
international: country code - 45; 18 submarine fiber-optic cables
linking Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth
stations - 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 (1997)

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
international: country code - 253; submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez,
Sicily, Marseille, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations
- 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional
microwave radio relay telephone network

Dominica
general assessment: NA
domestic: fully automatic network
international: country code - 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHF
radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF
radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Dominican Republic
general assessment: NA
domestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave
radio relay network
international: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable
international: country code - 593; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Egypt
general assessment: large system; underwent extensive
upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and
cellular service are available
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; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1
Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan;
microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel

El Salvador
general assessment: NA
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
System

Equatorial Guinea
general assessment: poor system with adequate
government services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 240; international communications from
Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Eritrea
general assessment: inadequate
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 available throughout most of
the country
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; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)

Ethiopia
general assessment: adequate for government use
domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in
the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two 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)

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: NA
international: country code - 679; access to important cable links
between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; 2
satellite earth stations - 2 INMARSAT (Pacific Ocean)

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; 1 submarine cable (Finland
Estonia Connection); 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
introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
international: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 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

French Guiana
general assessment: NA
domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system
international: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

French Polynesia
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Gabon
general assessment: adequate service by African standards and
improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system
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; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Gambia, The
general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data
network is available
domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire
international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to
Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)

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

Georgia
general assessment: NA
domestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephone
networks; 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
international: country code - 995; Georgia and Russia are working on
a fiber-optic line between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present
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: poor to fair system; Internet accessible;
many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is
underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has
been installed
international: country code - 233; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel
system connects Ghana to its neighbors; fiber optic submarine cable
(SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

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; tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine
cables; satellite earth stations - 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 - 12
Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)

Grenada
general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system
domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
international: country code - 1-473; new SHF radiotelephone links to
Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to
Trinidad

Guadeloupe
general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 590; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and
Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique

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; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is
a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and
GTE, linking the US and Asia)

Guatemala
general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the
city of Guatemala
domestic: NA
international: country code - 502; connected to Central American
Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean)

Guernsey
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 1 submarine cable

Guinea
general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines,
small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio
relay system
domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication
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
international: country code - 245

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

Haiti
general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;
international facilities slightly better
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: inadequate system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 504; 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; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to
Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables
providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan,
Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

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; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones
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: extensive domestic service
domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic
cables and microwave radio relay links
international: country code - 354; 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)

India
general assessment: recent deregulation and liberalization of
telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid change;
local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of
the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban
areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission
of private and private-public investors, but telephone density
remains low at about seven for each 100 persons nationwide but only
one per 100 persons in rural areas and a national waiting list of
over 1.7 million; fastest growth is in cellular service with modest
growth in fixed lines
domestic: expansion of domestic service, although still weak in
rural areas, resulted from increased competition and dramatic
reductions in price led in large part by wireless service; mobile
cellular service (both CDMA and GSM) introduced in 1994 and
organized nationwide into four metropolitan cities 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 five satellites supporting 33,000
very small aperture terminals (VSAT)
international: country code - 91; satellite earth stations - 8
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine
gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata
(Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar,
Hyderabad, and Ernakulam; 5 submarine cables, including Sea-Me-We-3
with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Fiber-Optic Link
Around the Globe (FLAG) with landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South
Africa - Far East (SAFE) with landing site at Cochin, i2icn linking
to Singapore with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai
(Madras), and Tata Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras),
provide a significant increase in the bandwidth available for both
voice and data traffic (2004)

Indonesia
general assessment: domestic service fair, international
service good
domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net;
domestic satellite communications system
international: country code - 62; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Iran
general assessment: inadequate, but currently being modernized
and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and
increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing
telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently
connected
domestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system
since 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the microwave
radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been
brought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems
has approximately doubled; thousands of mobile cellular subscribers
are being served; moreover, the technical level of the system has
been raised by the installation of thousands of digital switches
international: country code - 98; HF radio and microwave radio relay
to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria,
Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to
UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG);
Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan
through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion
to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and
4 Inmarsat

Iraq
general assessment: the 2003 war severely disrupted
telecommunications throughout Iraq including international
connections; USAID is overseeing the repair of switching capability
and the construction of mobile and satellite communication facilities
domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed during the 2003
war continue, but sabotage remains a problem; additional switching
capacity is improving access; cellular service is available and
centered on three regional GSM networks, improving country-wide
connectivity
international: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable
and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey;
despite a new satellite gateway, international calls outside of
Baghdad remain problematic

Ireland
general assessment: modern digital system using cable and
microwave radio relay
domestic: microwave radio relay
international: country code - 353; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Isle of Man
general assessment: NA
domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system
international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite
earth station, submarine cable

Israel
general assessment: most highly developed system in the
Middle East although not the largest
domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay;
all systems are digital
international: country code - 972; 3 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Italy
general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully
automated telephone, telex, and data services
domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks
international: country code - 39; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2
for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA
Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables

Jamaica
general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone
network
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-876; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Japan
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
service
domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of
every kind
international: country code - 81; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US
(via Guam) (1999)

Jersey
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 3 submarine cables

Jordan
general assessment: service has improved recently with
increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to
the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access
to pay telephones is needed by the urban public
domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and
fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of
mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available
international: country code - 962; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals;
fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link
with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable
FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL;
international links total about 4,000

Kazakhstan
general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated
domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile
cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan
international: country code - 7; international traffic with other
former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave
radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the
Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations
- 2 Intelsat

Kenya
general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize
except for service to business
domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data
commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system
international: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat

Kiribati
general assessment: generally good quality national and
international service
domestic: 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
international: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the
Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should
improve telephone service; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Pacific Ocean)

Korea, North
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other
international connections through Moscow and Beijing

Korea, South
general assessment: excellent domestic and
international services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 82; 10 fiber-optic submarine cables -
1 Korea-Russia-Japan, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong, 3 Korea-Japan-China,
1 Korea-Japan-China-Europe, 1 Korea-Japan-China-US-Taiwan, 1
Korea-Japan-China, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong-Taiwan, 1 Korea-Japan;
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian
Ocean) and 3 Inmarsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean)

Kuwait
general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
domestic: 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
international: country code - 965; coaxial cable and microwave radio
relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the
Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat
(1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and
2 Arabsat

Kyrgyzstan
general assessment: development of telecommunications
infrastructure is slow; fixed line penetration remains low and
concentrated in Bishkek
domestic: two wireless telephony service providers, but penetration
remains low
international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS
countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other
countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway
switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik
and 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe
(TAE) fiber-optic line

Laos
general assessment: service to general public is poor but
improving; the government relies on a radiotelephone network to
communicate with remote areas
domestic: radiotelephone communications
international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Latvia
general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing
competition to the telecommunications sector, beginning in 2003; the
number of fixed lines is decreasing as wireless telephony expands
domestic: two wireless service providers in addition to Lattelekom,
the incumbent monopoly
international: country code - 371; the Latvian network is now
connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden

Lebanon
general assessment: repair of the telecommunications system,
severely damaged during the civil war, now complete
domestic: two commercial wireless networks provide good service;
political instability hampers privatization and deployment of new
technologies
international: country code - 961; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations);
coaxial cable to Syria; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Lesotho
general assessment: rudimentary system
domestic: consists of a modest but growing number of landlines, a
small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone
communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing
international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Liberia
general assessment: the limited services available are found
almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia
domestic: fully automatic system with very low density of .23 fixed
main lines per 100 persons; limited wireless service available
international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Libya
general assessment: telecommunications system is being
modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in
1996
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular,
tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth
stations
international: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to
France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt;
tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)

Liechtenstein
general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable
and microwave radio relay

Lithuania
general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to
provide an improved international capability and better residential
access
domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is
nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded;
mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet
is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber
applications
international: country code - 370; landline connections to Latvia
and Poland; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and
Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite

Luxembourg
general assessment: highly developed, completely
automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable
international: country code - 352; 3 channels leased on TAT-6
coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)

Macau
general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities
maintained for domestic and international services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 853; HF radiotelephone communication
facility; access to international communications carriers provided
via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean)

Macedonia
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 389

Madagascar
general assessment: system is above average for the region
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,
and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Malawi
general assessment: NA
domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and radiotelephone communications stations
international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Malaysia
general assessment: modern system; international service
excellent
domestic: 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
international: country code - 60; submarine cables to India, Hong
Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian
Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)

Maldives
general assessment: minimal domestic and international
facilities
domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all
inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service
international: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3
Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Mali
general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving;
provides only minimal service
domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and
radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio
relay in progress
international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Malta
general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal
requirements
domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
international: country code - 356; 2 submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Marshall Islands
general assessment: digital switching equipment;
modern services include telex, cellular, internet, international
calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits
domestic: 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
international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications
system on Kwajalein (2001)

Martinique
general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 596; microwave radio relay to
Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Mauritania
general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire
lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone
communications stations (improvements being made)
domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed
domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with
regional capitals
international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Mauritius
general assessment: small system with good service
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system
international: country code - 230; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF
radiotelephone links to several countries; fiber optic submarine
cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Mayotte
general assessment: small system administered by French
Department of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA
international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF
radiotelephone communications to Comoros

Mexico
general assessment: low telephone density with about 18 main
lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to
competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development, but
Telmex remains dominant
domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,
but the population is poorly served; mobile subscribers far
outnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120
earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network;
considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable
international: country code - 52; satellite earth stations - 32
Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South
America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing
domestic communications), 1 Panamsat, numerous Inmarsat mobile earth
stations; linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk
connections; high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable
with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco,
Spain, and Italy (2005)

Micronesia, Federated States of
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: 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
international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Moldova
general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service
outside Chisinau; some modernization is under way
domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile
cellular telephone service being introduced
international: country code - 373; service through Romania and
Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat,
and Intersputnik

Monaco
general assessment: modern automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 377; no satellite earth stations;
connected by cable into the French communications system

Mongolia
general assessment: network is improving with international
direct dialing available in many areas
domestic: very low density of about 5.5 main lines per 100 persons;
two wireless providers cover all but two provinces
international: country code - 976; satellite earth station - 1
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Montenegro
general assessment: modern telecommunications system with
access to European satellites
domestic: GSM wireless service, available through two providers with
national coverage, is growing rapidly
international: country code - 382 (the old code of 381 used by
Serbia and Montenegro will also remain in use until Feb 2007); two
international switches connect the national system

Montserrat
general assessment: modern and fully digitalized
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-664

Morocco
general assessment: modern system with all important
capabilities; however, density is low with only 4 main lines
available for each 100 persons
domestic: 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
international: country code - 212; 7 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;
microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara;
coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in
Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and
Tunisia (1998)

Mozambique
general assessment: fair system but not available
generally (extremely low density with less than 1 main line per 100
persons)
domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk
connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)