Communications in Uzbekistan

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.976 million (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 26,000 (1998)

Telephone system: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of modernization

• domestic:

the domestic telephone system is being expanded and technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent and Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System)

• international:

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; Inmarsat also provides an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite earth stations - NA (1998)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998)

Radios: 10.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (plus two repeater stations that relay Russian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Tadzhik programs) (1997)

Televisions: 6.4 million (1997)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999)

Country code (Top level domain): UZ

See also : Uzbekistan