United Kingdom
general assessment: technologically advanced domestic
and international system
domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and
fiber-optic systems
international: country code - 44; numerous submarine cables provide
links throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and US;
satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3
Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat;
at least 8 large international switching centers
United States
general assessment: a large, technologically advanced,
multipurpose communications system
domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio
relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of
telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile
telephone traffic throughout the country
international: country code - 1; multiple ocean cable systems
provide international connectivity; satellite earth stations - 61
Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean
regions) (2000)
Uruguay
general assessment: fully digitalized
domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new
nationwide microwave radio relay network; overall fixed-line and
mobile-cellular teledensity is 115 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 598; the UNISOR submarine cable system
provides direct connectivity to Brazil and Argentina; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)
Uzbekistan
general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious
need of modernization
domestic: the main line telecommunications system is dilapidated and
telephone density is low; the state-owned telecommunications
company, Uzbektelecom, is working on improving main line services;
mobile services are growing swiftly, with the subscriber base more
than doubling in 2007 to 5.8 million
international: country code - 998; linked by landline or microwave
radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased
connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the
completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE)
fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian
facilities for international communications (2007)
Vanuatu
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Venezuela
general assessment: modern and expanding
domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent
substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas;
substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines;
installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of
digital multimedia services; fixed-line teledensity 20 per 100
persons; mobile-cellular teledensity more than 90 per 100 persons
international: country code - 58; submarine cable systems provide
connectivity to the Caribbean, Central and South America, and US;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1
PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in
the construction of an international fiber-optic network (2007)
Vietnam
general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort
into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system,
but its performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern
neighbors
domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to
Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or
microwave radio relay networks; main lines have been substantially
increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly
international: country code - 84; a landing point for the
SEA-ME-WE-3, the C2C, and Thailand-Vietnam-Hong Kong submarine cable
systems; the Asia-America Gateway submarine cable system, scheduled
for completion by the end of 2008, will provide new access links to
Asia and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian
Ocean region)
Virgin Islands
general assessment: modern system with total digital
switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
domestic: full range of services available
international: country code - 1-340; submarine cable connections to
US, the Caribbean, Central and South America; satellite earth
stations - NA
Wake Island
general assessment: satellite communications; 2 DSN
circuits off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
domestic: NA
international: NA
Wallis and Futuna
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 681