Telecommunications in Bhutan
Telecommunications in Bhutan includes telephones, radio, television, and the Internet.
Telephones
[edit]- Main lines: 18,000 lines in use, 174th in the world (2023 est.)[1].
- Mobile cellular: 752,000 lines, 169th in the world (2023 est.).[1]
- Telephone system:
- general assessment: Urban towns and district headquarters have telecommunications services (2012);[2]
- domestic: very low tele-density, domestic service is poor especially in rural areas, mobile cellular service available since 2003 is now widely available (2012);[2]
- international: international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India (2012);[2]
- satellite earth station: 1 Intelsat (2012).[2]
- Country codes: Bhutan +975,[2] Phuentsholing (0)1, Thimphu (0)2, Bumthang (0)3, Paro (0)8.
Radio and television
[edit]- First radio station, Radio NYAB, privately launched in 1973, is now state-owned (2012).[2]
- Five private radio stations are currently broadcasting (2012).[2]
- Radios: 37,000 (1997).
- The Bhutan Broadcasting Service first commenced television transmissions in June 1999, upon legalizing television,[3] one of the last countries in the world to do so.[2]
- Cable TV service offers dozens of Indian and other international channels (2012).[2]
- Televisions: 11,000 (1999).[citation needed]
Internet
[edit]- Top level domain: .bt[2]
- Internet hosts: 14,590 hosts, 126th in the world (2012).[2]
- IPv4: 23,552 addresses allocated, 32.9 per 1000 people (2012).[4][5]
- Internet users: 88% of the population (2023 est.).[1]
- Fixed broadband: 10,000 (2023 est.), 183th in the world[1]
- Mobile broadband: 17,851 subscriptions, 133rd in the world; 2.5% of population, 122nd in the world (2012).[6][7]
- Internet Service Providers: Bhutan's main and only ISP is Druknet, owned by Bhutan Telecom. It provides a dial-up service, at a reasonable cost.
- Internet cafes: Located in most large towns.
See also
[edit]- Censorship on the Internet
- Radio Waves, a radio station in located in Thimphu, Bhutan. Formed in December 2010, it is currently run by Kelzang Thinley and broadcasts in Dzongkha and English.
References
[edit]
This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.
- ^ a b c d "Bhutan", The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 27 May 2025, retrieved 4 June 2025
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Communications", Bhutan, World Factbook, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, 5 December 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
- ^ "FRONTLINE/WORLD . Bhutan - the Last Place . Index page".
- ^ Select Formats Archived 13 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Country IP Blocks. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Site is said to be updated daily.
- ^ Population, The World Factbook, United States Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Data are mostly for 1 July 2012.
- ^ Calculated using penetration rate and population data from "Countries and Areas Ranked by Population: 2012" Archived 29 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine, Population data, International Programs, U.S. Census Bureau, retrieved 26 June 2013
- ^ "Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012", Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved on 29 June 2013.
External links
[edit]- nic.bt, Bhutan Network Information Center.
- www.bbs.bt, Bhutan Broadcasting Service.
- Wireless Voice/Data Communication in Remote Bhutan
