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Telecommunications in Cyprus includes radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet, in the Republic of Cyprus.
CYTA, the state-owned telecommunications company, manages most telecommunications and internet connections on the island. However, following the recent[when?]liberalization of the telecommunications sector, a few[vague] private telecommunications companies, have emerged.[citation needed]
Radio stations: A mixture of state and privately run radio services; the public broadcaster operates 4 radio stations; in addition a number of private radio stations are available; in Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus, there are 4 public radio stations as well as privately owned radio broadcast stations (2007).[1]
Television stations: A mixture of state and privately run services with island-wide coverage; the public broadcaster operates 3 free-to-air TV channels; 9 private free-to-air TV broadcasters, satellite and cable TV services including telecasts from Greece and Turkey are available; in Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus, there are 2 public TV stations, and privately owned TV broadcast stations (2007).[1]
Subscriber TV: The first subscription channels in Cyprus were LTV and Alfa, offered by MultiChoice since the mid-1990s.[citation needed] The current subscription channels are:
Domestic: excellent system in both the area under Republic of Cyprus government control and Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus; open wire, fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay.[1]
It is expected to have 160 terabits per second, capacity equivalent to streaming 80 million HD video conference calls at the same time. The Quantum Cable will be laid at same time with the 2,000 MW EuroAsia Interconnector. Quantum Cable will upgrade Cyprus to telecom hub and will support data centers on Cyprus.[9][10]
There are no government restrictions on access to the Internet, with the exception that gambling sites not licensed by the Republic of Cyprus are blocked,[16] or reports that the government monitored email or Internet chat rooms without appropriate legal authority. Individuals and groups engage in the peaceful expression of views via the Internet, including e‑mail.[17] The law provides for freedom of speech and press and the government generally respects these rights in practice. An independent press, an effective judiciary, and a functioning democratic political system combine to ensure freedom of speech and press. The law prohibits arbitrary interference with privacy, family, home, or correspondence, and the government generally respects these prohibitions in practice.[17]
The northern part of the island is controlled by the de facto Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The status of Northern Cyprus as a separate entity is recognised only by Turkey, which keeps around 30,000 troops in the north of the island.[18]
International telephone calls to northern Cyprus are routed via a Turkish dialing code (+90 392) as northern Cyprus has neither its own country code nor official ITU prefix. Similarly, there is no Internet top-level domain for northern Cyprus, which is instead under the Turkish second-level domain .ct.tr and .nc.tr. Amateur radio operators sometimes use call signs beginning with "1B", but these have no standing for awards or other operating credit.[citation needed]
^ ab"Cyprus", Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State, 22 March 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook (2024 ed.). CIA. (Archived 2013 edition.)
