Telecommunications in Bhutan

Telecommunications in Bhutan includes telephones, radio, television, and the Internet.

Telephones

 * Main lines: 27,900 lines in use, 179th in the world (2012).
 * Mobile cellular: 560,000 lines, 165th in the world (2012).
 * Telephone system:
 * general assessment: Urban towns and district headquarters have telecommunications services (2012);
 * domestic: very low tele-density, domestic service is poor especially in rural areas, mobile cellular service available since 2003 is now widely available (2012);
 * international: international telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India (2012);
 * satellite earth station: 1 Intelsat (2012).
 * Country codes: Bhutan +975, Phuentsholing (0)1, Thimphu (0)2, Bumthang (0)3, Paro (0)8.

Radio and television

 * First radio station, Radio NYAB, privately launched in 1973, is now state-owned (2012).
 * Five private radio stations are currently broadcasting (2012).
 * Radios: 37,000 (1997).
 * The Bhutan Broadcasting Service first commenced television transmissions in June 1999, upon legalizing television, one of the last countries in the world to do so.
 * Cable TV service offers dozens of Indian and other international channels (2012).
 * Televisions: 11,000 (1999).

Internet

 * Top level domain: .bt
 * Internet hosts: 14,590 hosts, 126th in the world (2012).
 * IPv4: 23,552 addresses allocated, 32.9 per 1000 people (2012).
 * Internet users: 182,338 users, 155th in the world; 25.4% of the population, 137th in the world (2012).
 * Fixed broadband: 16,015 subscriptions, 135th in the world; 2.2% of population, 124th in the world (2012).
 * Mobile broadband: 17,851 subscriptions, 133rd in the world; 2.5% of population, 122nd in the world (2012).
 * Internet Service Providers: Bhutan's main and only ISP is Druknet, owned by Bhutan Telecom. It provides a dial-up service, at a reasonable cost.
 * Internet cafes: Located in most large towns.