Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 2,726,193
[see also: Telephones - fixed lines - total subscriptions country ranks ]
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15
(2017 est.)
[see also: Telephones - fixed lines - subscriptions per 100 inhabitants country ranks ]
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
51
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total subscriptions: 15.65 million
[see also: Telephones - mobile cellular - total subscriptions country ranks ]
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 87
(2017 est.)
[see also: Telephones - mobile cellular - subscriptions per 100 inhabitants country ranks ]
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
65
Telephone system:
general assessment:
the armed insurgency that began in 2011 has led to major disruptions to the network and has caused telephone and Internet outages throughout the country; 2018 saw some stabilizing; telecoms have become decentralized with expensive satellite communications in the country; fairly high mobile penetration; potential for growth given that subscription numbers are low; mobile broadband infrastructure is still based predominantly on 3G, despite the launch of LTE in 2017; Syria has two mobile telephone operators, MTN Syria and Syriatel
(2019)
domestic:
the number of fixed-line connections increased markedly prior to the civil war in 2011 and now stands at 15 per 100; mobile-cellular service stands at about 87 per 100 persons
(2018)
international:
country code - 963; landing points for the Aletar, BERYTAR and UGART submarine cable connections to Egypt, Lebanon, and Cyprus; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel
(2019)
Broadcast media:
state-run TV and radio broadcast networks; state operates 2 TV networks and 5 satellite channels; roughly two-thirds of Syrian homes have a satellite dish providing access to foreign TV broadcasts; 3 state-run radio channels; first private radio station launched in 2005; private radio broadcasters prohibited from transmitting news or political content
(2018)
Internet users:
total: 5,476,850
[see also: Internet users - total country ranks ]
percent of population: 31.9%
(July 2016 est.)
[see also: Internet users - percent of population country ranks ]
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
71
Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
total: 1,154,909
[see also: Broadband - fixed subscriptions - total country ranks ]
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6
(2017 est.)
[see also: Broadband - fixed subscriptions - subscriptions per 100 inhabitants country ranks ]
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data):
68
