Timor-Leste Communications - 2023

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 1,900 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2021 est.) less than 1

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Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 1.4 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2021 est.)

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Telecommunication systems

general assessment: Timor-Leste has been moving forward with the regeneration of its economy and rebuilding key infrastructure, including telecommunications networks, that were destroyed during the years of civil unrest; fixed-line and fixed broadband penetration in Timor-Leste remains extremely low, mainly due to the limited fixed-line infrastructure and the proliferation of mobile connectivity; in an effort to boost e-government services; the number of subscribers through to 2026 is expected to develop steadily, though from a low base; by August 2020, Timor-Leste had three telecom service providers who jointly achieved a 98% network coverage nationally; the mobile broadband market is still at an early stage of development, strong growth is predicted over the next five years; at the end of 2020, the government issued new policy guidelines to maximize the use of spectrum in Timor-Leste; it invited mobile operators to submit applications for the allocation of spectrum in the 1800MHz, 2300MHz and 2600MHz bands; in November 2020, the government approved the deployment of a submarine fiber link connecting the south of the country to Australia via the North Western Cable System (NWCS) (2021)

domestic: fixed-line services less than 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular services is 100 per 100 (2021)

international: country code - 670;  international service is available; partnership with Australia telecom companies for potential deployment of a submarine fiber-optic link (NWCS); geostationary earth orbit satellite

Broadcast media

7 TV stations (3 nationwide satellite coverage; 2 terrestrial coverage, mostly in Dili; 2 cable) and 21 radio stations (3 nationwide coverage) (2019)

Internet country code

.tl

Internet users

total: 507,000 (2021 est.)

percent of population: 39% (2021 est.)

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Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 75 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.01 (2020 est.)

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NOTE: The information regarding Timor-Leste on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Timor-Leste 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Timor-Leste 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.