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Uzbekistan - Communications (Facts)

Telephones - main lines in use: 1.793 million (2005) Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.1 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of modernization domestic: the main line telecommunications system is dilapidated; the state-owned telecom company, Uzbektelecom, is using a US$110 million loan from the Japanese government to improve main line services; mobile services are growing swiftly, with the subscriber base doubling in 2005 to 1.1 million; there are 6 main cellular providers currently in operation international: country code - 998; linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian facilities for international communications (2006) Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 3 (2006) Television broadcast stations: 8 (includes 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in regional capitals) (2006) Internet country code: .uz Internet hosts: 9,058 (2006) Internet users: 1.7 million (2006)