Telecommunications in Bulgaria

Telecommunications in Bulgaria include radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet.

Blaw-Knox tower and two mast antennae, Vakarel radio transmitter

Radio and television

• Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001).
• Radio broadcast hours: 525,511 (2003).
• Television broadcast stations: 39 (2001).
• Television broadcast hours: 498,091 (2003).

Telephones

• Main lines in use: 1.6 million (2015 est).[1]
• Mobile cellular: 8.98 million lines (2016).[2]
• Telephone system:
  • General assessment: an extensive but antiquated telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; quality has improved; the Bulgaria Telecommunications Company's fixed-line monopoly terminated in 2005 when alternative fixed-line operators were given access to its network; a drop in fixed-line connections in recent years has been more than offset by a sharp increase in mobile-cellular telephone use fostered by multiple service providers; the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now exceeds the population
  • Domestic: a fairly modern digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of the regions; the others are connected by digital microwave radio relay
  • International: country code – 359; submarine cable provides connectivity to Ukraine and Russia; a combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system provides connectivity to Italy, Albania, and North Macedonia; satellite earth stations – 3 (1 Intersputnik in the Atlantic Ocean region, 2 Intelsat in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2007).

Internet

• Top-level domains: .bg[3] and .бг (proposed, Cyrillic).
• Internet users:
  • 4.1 million users (2016)[4]
  • 3.9 million users, 72nd in the world; 55.1% of the population, 74th in the world (2012);[5][6]
  • 3.4 million users, 63rd in the world (2009);[3]
  • 1.9 million users (2007).
• Fixed broadband: 1.2 million subscriptions, 52nd in the world; 17.6% of population, 53rd in the world (2012).[5][7]
• Wireless broadband: 2.8 million, 55th in the world; 40.3% of the population, 41st in the world (2012).[8]
• Internet hosts:
  • 976,277 hosts, 47th in the world (2012);[3]
  • 513,470 (2008).
• IPv4: 4.2 million addresses allocated, 0.1% of the world total, 589.7 addresses per 1000 people, 51st in the world (2012).[9][10]

See also

• Internet Society – Bulgaria
• List of internet service providers in Bulgaria
• Bulgaria

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the CIA World Factbook website https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/.

1. "Telephone Lines / Countries of the World". world.bymap.org. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
2. "Mobile cellular subscriptions in Bulgaria 2000-2016 | Statistic". Statista. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
3. "Communications: Bulgaria", World Factbook, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, 28 January 2014. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
4. "Bulgaria Internet Users". www.internetlivestats.com. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
5. Calculated using penetration rate and population data from "Countries and Areas Ranked by Population: 2012" Archived 2017-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, Population data, International Programs, U.S. Census Bureau, retrieved 26 June 2013
6. "Percentage of Individuals using the Internet 2000-2012", International Telecommunications Union (Geneva), June 2013, retrieved 22 June 2013
7. "Fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012", Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved on 29 June 2013.
8. "Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012", Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved on 29 June 2013.
9. Select Formats Archived 2009-05-13 at the Wayback Machine, Country IP Blocks. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Site is said to be updated daily.
10. Population, The World Factbook, United States Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Data are mostly for 1 July 2012.