Telecommunications in Venezuela
Telephones - main lines in use: 7.332 million (2011)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 28,782,000 (2011)
Telephone system:
modern and expanding
domestic:
domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas; substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines; installation of a national interurban fibre-optic network capable of digital multimedia services; combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership 130 per 100 persons
international:
country code - 58; submarine cable systems provide connectivity to the Caribbean, Central and South America, and US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in the construction of an international fiber-optic network; constructing submarine cable to provide connectivity to Cuba
Broadcast media
The government of Venezuela supervises a mixture of state-run and private broadcast media; 1 state-run TV network, 4 privately owned TV networks, a privately owned news channel with limited national coverage, and a government-backed Pan-American channel. A state-run radio network includes 65 new stations and roughly another 30 stations targeted at specific audiences. A state-sponsored community broadcasters include 244 radio stations and 36 TV stations. The number of private broadcast radio stations have been declining, but many remain in operation.
Internet
Internet Hosts: 1.016 million (2012)
Internet Users: 8.918 million (2009)
Country code (Top level domain): VE
Venezuela has many Internet service providers, although the market is dominated by the now state-owned CANTV.net which offers ADSL and Dialup services. Broadband access Venezuela is provided through ADSL, Cable, Satellite, EDGE, EV-DO, WiFi Hotspots and more recently WiMax. Prices vary from $45 to $60 USD per month for basic broadband plans. Some of the most important providers are:
- CANTV.net - ADSL/WiFi hotspots and also EV-DO through the Movilnet brand.
- Intercable - Cable/WiFi Hotspots
- Movistar - Cable/WLL/EV-DO/UMTS/HSDPA/LTE
- Movilmax - WiMax (Only available in Caracas)
- Digitel - GSM/UMTS/HSDPA/LTE