Sri Lanka: Communications

Communications

Sri Lanka

Telephones - main lines in use:	494,509 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular:	228,604 (1999)
Telephone system:	general assessment: very inadequate domestic service, particularly in rural areas; likely improvement with privatization of national telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good international service (1999) domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999) international: submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)
Radio broadcast stations:	AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:	3.85 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:	21 (1997)
Televisions:	1.53 million (1997)
Internet country code:	.lk
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):	5 (2000)
Internet users:	121,500 (2001)