Telecommunications in Bhutan

Telecommunications in Bhutan includes telephones, radio, television, and the Internet.

Telephones

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  • Main lines: 27,900 lines in use, 179th in the world (2012).[1]
  • Mobile cellular: 560,000 lines, 165th in the world (2012).[1]
  • Telephone system:
    • general assessment: Urban towns and district headquarters have telecommunications services (2012);[1]
    • domestic: very low tele-density, domestic service is poor especially in rural areas, mobile cellular service available since 2003 is now widely available (2012);[1]
    • international: international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India (2012);[1]
    • satellite earth station: 1 Intelsat (2012).[1]
  • Country codes: Bhutan +975,[1] Phuentsholing (0)1, Thimphu (0)2, Bumthang (0)3, Paro (0)8.

Radio and television

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  • First radio station, Radio NYAB, privately launched in 1973, is now state-owned (2012).[1]
  • Five private radio stations are currently broadcasting (2012).[1]
  • Radios: 37,000 (1997).
  • The Bhutan Broadcasting Service first commenced television transmissions in June 1999, upon legalizing television,[2] one of the last countries in the world to do so.[1]
  • Cable TV service offers dozens of Indian and other international channels (2012).[1]
  • Televisions: 11,000 (1999).[citation needed]

Internet

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See also

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  • Censorship on the Internet
  • Radio Waves, a radio station in located in Thimphu, Bhutan. Formed in December 2010, it is currently run by Kelzang Thinley and broadcasts in Dzongkha and English.

References

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  This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Communications", Bhutan, World Factbook, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, 5 December 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  2. ^ "FRONTLINE/WORLD . Bhutan - the Last Place . Index page | PBS".
  3. ^ Select Formats Archived 13 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Country IP Blocks. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Site is said to be updated daily.
  4. ^ Population, The World Factbook, United States Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Data are mostly for 1 July 2012.
  5. ^ "Percentage of Individuals using the Internet 2000-2012", International Telecommunication Union (Geneva), June 2013, retrieved 22 June 2013
  6. ^ a b c Calculated using penetration rate and population data from "Countries and Areas Ranked by Population: 2012" Archived 29 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine, Population data, International Programs, U.S. Census Bureau, retrieved 26 June 2013
  7. ^ "Fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012", Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved on 29 June 2013.
  8. ^ "Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012", Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved on 29 June 2013.
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