Communications in Belgium

Communications in Belgium are extensive and advanced. Belgium possesses the infrastructure for both mobile and land-based telecom, as well as having significant television, radio and internet infrastructure. The country code for Belgium is "BE".

Telephone and internet

There were 5.2 million main telephone lines in use in Belgium in 2003, an increase on the 4.769 million in use in 1997. Mobile telephone ownership has also increased over that period, from 974,494 to 8.1 million.

The telephone system itself is highly developed and technologically advanced, with full automation in facilities that handle domestic and international telecom. Domestically speaking, the county has a nationwide cellular telephone system and an extensive network of telephone cables. The microwave relay network is, however, more limited. For international communications, Belgium has 5 submarine cables and a number of satellite earth stations, two of which are Intelsat, and one Eutelsat.

There are 61 internet service providers in Belgium, serving 5.1 million internet users in 2004.

Radio and television

In 1998, Belgium had 79 FM radio stations, 7 AM stations and 1 shortwave station, serving 8.075 million radios owned in the country. In terms of television, there were 25 broadcast stations in 1997, and a further 10 repeaters. At this time, 4.72 million televisions were owned nationwide.

Public radio in Belgium is controlled by the VRT for the Dutch speaking region (Flanders and Brussels) the RTBF for the French speaking region (Wallonia and Brussels) and the BRF for the German community in Belgium.

ee also

* List of television channels in Belgium
* List of radio stations in Belgium

References

"Much of the material in this article is adapted from the CIA World Factbook ."