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 90 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 (2008)
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 10 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density
roughly 55 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) (2008)
Benin
general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line network
characterized by aging, deteriorating equipment with fixed-line
teledensity only about 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone
subscribership has been increasing rapidly
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) (2008)
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: 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 (2008)
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
slighly exceeds 50 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) (2008)
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 22 per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular telephone density has reached 70 per 100 persons
international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations (2008)
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) (2008)
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 80 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, including Atlantis 2, 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 (2008)