Communications in Latvia

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Contents 1 Telephones 2 Broadcasting 2.1 Radio 2.2 Television 3 Internet 4 External links

[edit] Telephones

Telephones - main lines in use: ~700,000 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,000,000+ (2006)

Telephone system: fixed line quality and coverage inadequate outside major cities, around 96.53% of country covered by at least one mobile operator though.

domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications
international: international connections are available fixed, mobile, cable (VoIP) and a satellite earth station all over Latvia

The ongoing situation in the telecommunications market (2003) - monopoly on fixed and competition in the mobile lines business,- has led to overwhelming use of cellular phones for private customers, fixed lines being requested mostly by companies.

Since the fixed-line voice communication monopoly has ended on January 1, 2003, there have been several companies to purchase a license for voice communication services: Aeronavigācijas serviss, Baltkom TV, Beta Telecom, Latvenergo Tehniskais Centrs, Telecentrs, Telenets, Telekom Baltija and CSC Telecom. Those of them who do offer voice telephony though, mostly provide service for cheaper foreign calls, as all local calls would go through the infrastructure of the previous monopoly holder Lattelekom and be subject to the additional costs.

[edit] Broadcasting

[edit] Radio

Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: 1.76 million (1997)

[edit] Television

Television broadcast stations: 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 1.22 million (1997)

The state public television broadcaster is Latvijas Televīzija.

[edit] Internet

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 150+ (2006)

Internet users: 312,000 (2002)

See also: Broadband Internet access worldwide#Latvia

Country code (Top-level domain): LV

See also : Latvia

[edit] External links

• Public Utilities Commission
• Latvian State Department of Communications
• Telecommunications and IT blog with all the latest hype on telecoms in Latvia

Major telecommunications operators in Latvia:

• Lattelecom
• Latvia Mobile Telephone (GSM)
• Tele2 (GSM)
• Bite Latvia (GSM)
• Triatel (CDMA)