Bahamas, The Communications 2021, CIA World Factbook

total subscriptions: 91,129

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26.29 (2019 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 425,507

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 122.76 (2019 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: the telecom sector across the Caribbean continues to be a growth area, contributing to the country's overall GDP; totally automatic system; highly developed; operators focus investment on mobile networks; the activation of (mobile number portability) MNP in April 2017, allowing mobile subscribers to port their numbers between competing MNO (mobile network operators) has contributed to the competition and liberalization of the market (2020)

domestic: 23 per 100 fixed-line, 109 per 100 mobile-cellular (2019)

international: country code - 1-242; landing points for the ARCOS-1, BICS, Bahamas 2-US, and BDSN fiber-optic submarine cables that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2; the Bahamas Domestic Submarine Network links all of the major islands; (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Broadcast media

The Bahamas has 4 major TV providers that provide service to all major islands in the archipelago; 1 TV station is operated by government-owned, commercially run Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas (BCB) and competes freely with 4 privately owned TV stations; multi-channel cable TV subscription service is widely available; there are 32 licensed broadcast (radio) service providers, 31 are privately owned FM radio stations operating on New Providence, Grand Bahama Island, Abaco Island, and on smaller islands in the country; the BCB operates a multi-channel radio broadcasting network that has national coverage; the sector is regulated by the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (2019)

Internet country code

.bs

Internet users

total: 282,739

percent of population: 85% (July 2018 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 82,295

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23.74 (2019 est.)

NOTE: The information regarding Bahamas The on this page is re-published from the 2021 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Bahamas The 2021 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Bahamas The 2021 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.