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