The 2008 CIA World Factbook, United States. Central Intelligence Agency [primary phonics books .TXT] 📗

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
  2007; mobile telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly
  and has reached a level of 100 telephones per 100 persons
  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; 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 (2007)

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  major inroads in modernizing and upgrading the outdated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 is increasing and is
  currently about 50 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 old Soviet system of cable
  and microwave is still serviceable; satellite earth stations - 2
  (2007)

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 is approaching 25 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 (2007)

Barbados
  general assessment: fixed-line teledensity of roughly 50
  per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of about 85 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
  (2007)

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 60 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 (2007)

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 12 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density
  of about 40 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) (2007)

Benin
  general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line network
  characterized by aging, deteriorating equipment with fixed-line
  teledensity stuck at 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone
  subscribership is increasing
  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) (2007)

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: 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 Intelsat (2007)

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
  of 35 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) (2007)

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 25 per 100 persons;
  mobile-cellular telephone density exceeds 50 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations (2007)

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) (2007)

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 nearly 65 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 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 (2007)

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: NA
  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
  (2007)

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
  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) (2007)

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) (2007)

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 (2007)

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 3 per 100 persons
  domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,
  and low-capacity microwave radio relay
  international: country code