Bhutan Communications - 2024

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 19,566 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 778,008 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: the small land-locked Kingdom of Bhutan has only recently emerged from decades of isolation from the modern world; that, and its mountainous terrain, left the country far back in the field in terms of teledensity as well as access to the Internet; over the last decade, the country has undergone a significant transformation due to the opening of its borders, liberalization of its telecom sector, and the active support from the government towards increased competition in the mobile, broadband, and ISP segments; the relatively widespread availability of the mobile platform has caused an explosion in mobile broadband subscriber numbers, growing from zero to over 100% penetration in just ten years (between 2010 and 2019).; the onset of the Covid-19 crisis in 2020 caused the subscription rates to drop back a little; growth is projected to return in 2022 (along with the broader mobile market) as the overall economy recovers; the government opens up more to foreign investment, trade, and tourism; and network expansion continues – the recent (December 2021) launch of 5G services by both of the country’s mobile operators being particularly noteworthy (2022)

domestic: approximately 3 to 100 fixed-line and 100 mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 people (2021)

international: country code - 975; international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

Broadcast media

state-owned TV station established in 1999; cable TV service offers dozens of Indian and other international channels; first radio station, privately launched in 1973, is now state-owned; 5 private radio stations are currently broadcasting (2012)

Internet country code

.bt

Internet users

total: 670,800 (2021 est.)

percent of population: 86% (2021 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 3,189 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.4 (2020 est.)