Telecommunications in Greenland

Radio Upernavik, the local radio station in Upernavik, Greenland. Photo by Kim Hansen, 2007.

Greenland has, by law, only one service provider for telecommunications and internet, TELE Greenland,^[1] which is fully owned by the Greenlandic Home Rule government. TELE Greenland provides switched telephone and data, land mobile communications, VHF and MF shore-to-ship communication, and television and radio broadcasting.^[2] This type of monopoly is not uncommon in Greenland.

Telephone system

There are adequate domestic and international service, provided by cables and microwave radio relay. The system was totally digitized in 1995. As of 2008, Greenland had 23,500 telephone main lines in use. From 16,747 cellular phones in 2001, Greenland increased its usage to 66,400 mobile cellular telephones in 2007.^[3]

Radio

Greenland has domestic microwave radio relay. International communication is provided by two coaxial submarine cables in the Atlantic Ocean and three satellite earth stations. TELE Greenland first used satellite communication in 1978 and currently utilizes Intelsat, Eutelsat, and GE Americom.^[2]

As of 1998, Greenland has five AM and twelve FM radio broadcast stations. Greenlanders owned an estimated 30,000 radios, as of 2002.^[4]

Television broadcast station

Greenland has one publicly owned station, some local low-power stations, and three American Forces Network stations, operated by the United States Air Force.

The country owns 30,000 television sets as of 2002.^[4]

The state broadcaster is Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa (Greenlandic Broadcasting Corporation) or KNR,^[5] which provides one television and one radio service nationwide. Both broadcast in Greenlandic and Danish. Administered by the Greenlandic government, KNR has a seven-person board and management committee. They employ 100 people and are funded publicly and by advertising.^[6]

An umbrella organization in Greenland, known as the STTK, operates local radio and TV stations throughout Greenland.

Internet

Greenland has a single Internet Service Provider (ISP). The Country code for top-level domains is: .gl. 52,000 people or 92.3% of Greenland's population are internet users.^[7] The Greenland Connect submarine cable provides connectivity to Europe (via Iceland) and North America (via Newfoundland) ^[8]

References

1. ^ Tele-Post: Kalaallit Nunaat Nunarsuup Qeqqani
2. ^ ^{a b} "Tele Greenland A/S. International Telecommunication Union: Telecommunication Development Bureau. 17 December 1997 (retrieved 8 November 2009)
3. ^ Media Statistics: Telephones: Mobile Cellular: Greenland. NationMaster. (retrieved 9 November 2009)
4. ^ ^{a b} David, Jenny B. "Greenland Press, Media, TV, and Newspapers." Press Reference. 2002 (retrieved 8 November 2009)
5. ^ Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa: Greenland Broadcasting Startion
6. ^ KNR.gl: About NKR. Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa: Greenland Broadcasting Station. 2008 (retrieved 8 November 2009)
7. ^ "Greenland". Internet World Stats: Usage and Population Statistics. (retrieved 8 November 2009)
8. ^ "Greenland Connect" Submarine cable connecting Greenland with Europe and North America