Mauritania
general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire
lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone
communications stations; mobile-cellular services expanding rapidly
domestic: Mauritel, the national telecommunications company, was
privatized in 2001 but remains the monopoly provider of fixed-line
services; fixed-line teledensity 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular
network coverage extends mainly to urban areas with a teledensity
approaching 40 per 100 persons; mostly cable and open-wire lines; a
domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with
regional capitals
international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 3 (1
Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean, 2 Arabsat)
Mauritius
general assessment: small system with good service
domestic: monopoly over fixed-line services terminated in 2005;
fixed-line teledensity roughly 30 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular
services launched in 1989 with teledensity in 2007 reaching 75 per
100 persons
international: country code - 230; landing point for the SAFE
submarine cable that provides links to Asia and South Africa where
it connects to the SAT-3/WASC submarine cable that provides further
links to parts of East Africa, and Europe; satellite earth station -
1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF
radiotelephone links to several countries
Mayotte
general assessment: small system administered by French
Department of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA
international: country code - 262; microwave radio relay and HF
radiotelephone communications to Comoros
Mexico
general assessment: 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
domestic: low telephone density with about 18 fixed lines per 100
persons; privatized in December 1990; despite the opening to
competition in January 1997, Telmex remains dominant; legal
challenges to Telmex's alleged anti-competitive behavior in the
mobile and fixed-line markets culminated in a World Trade
Organization ruling in 2004 against Mexico prompting some
strengthening of the powers granted Mexico's telecom regulator;
mobile cellular teledensity approaching 65 per 100 persons
international: country code - 52; Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine
cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Spain,
and Italy; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and
the MAYA-1 submarine cable system together provide access to Central
America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US;
satellite earth stations - 120 (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 (2007)
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: depending on location, new subscribers may face long wait
for service; multiple private operators of GSM mobile-cellular
telephone service are operating; GPRS system is being introduced; a
CDMA mobile telephone network began operations in 2007; combined
fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 70 per 100
persons
international: country code - 373; service through Romania and
Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - at least 3
(Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik) (2007)
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 fixed-line density; there are multiple mobile
cellular service providers and subscribership is increasing rapidly;
a fiber-optic network is also being installed that will improve
broadband and communication services between major urban centers
international: country code - 976; satellite earth stations - 7
Montenegro
general assessment: modern telecommunications system with
access to European satellites
domestic: GSM wireless service, available through 2 providers with
national coverage, is growing rapidly
international: country code - 382; 2 international switches connect
the national system
Montserrat
general assessment: modern and fully digitalized
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-664; landing point for the East
Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) optic submarine cable with links to 13
other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British
Virgin Islands to Trinidad