Turkmenistan Telecommunications
The telecommunications network remains underdeveloped and progress toward improvement is slow; strict government control and censorship inhibits liberalization and modernization.
Domestic: Turkmentelekom, in cooperation with foreign partners, has installed high-speed fiber-optic lines and has upgraded most of the country's telephone exchanges and switching centers with new digital technology; combined fixed-line and mobile teledensity is about 80 per 100 persons; Russia's Mobile Telesystems, the only foreign mobile-cellular service provider in Turkmenistan, had its operating license suspended in December 2010 but was able to resume operations in September 2012.
International: country code - 993; linked by fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; an exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat (2012)
Telephone Services |
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Is there an existing landline telephone network? (Yes / No) |
Yes
|
|
Does it allow international calls? (Yes / No) |
Yes
|
|
On average, number and length of downtime periods |
Nil | |
Mobile phone providers (List) |
MTS | |
Estimated availability and coverage (Approximate percentage of national coverage) |
n/a |
For additional telecommunications information, please select the following document:
Turkmenistan Telecommunications Additional Information
Note: The information provided in the attached documents, which has been taken from the old DLCA, does not match the structure of the new LCA and is therefore provided separately.
Telecommunication Regulation
International Calls : linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other Commonwealth of Independent States republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscowinternational gateway switch; a new telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat
Regulations |
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---|---|---|
Regulations on usage or import of: |
Yes / No |
Regulating Authority |
Satellite |
Yes |
n/a |
HF Radio |
Yes |
n/a |
UHF/VHF/HF radio: handheld, base and mobile |
Yes |
n/a |
UHF/VHF repeaters |
Yes |
n/a |
GPS |
Yes |
n/a |
VSAT |
Yes |
n/a |
Individual Network Operator Licenses Required n/a Frequency Licenses Required The launch of the first Turkmen communication satellite is scheduled in 2014 for a 15 years lifetime and will be carried out using a Chang Zheng-3B (“Long March”) rocket. The satellite is currently under construction by the French Thales Alenia Space and is from the Spacebus 4000 family. Analog TV signal feed of 5 national channels are receivable over-the-air in all living areas across the country. Foreign TV channels are watched with digital satellite receiver. In some places of Ashgabat, cable service is available where satellite dishes are not allowed to be installed. List of broadcast stations:
All 7 of national channels are aired on Yamal satellitle for international audience. |