There is no national
telecommunications operator in Somalia. Domestic traffic is virtually non-existent as the
infrastructure has been destroyed by the civil war. However, private local companies have
started to install satellite-based telecommmunications links. None of them are
interconnected which means calls between towns have to be routed internationally. This
makes telephone hugely expensive. Present tariffs range from US$ 1.75/minute for call
switched through Europe to US$ 1.25/minute for call switched through US. (Source:
BMI TechKnowledge Communication Technologies Handbook 1998).
Somalia Telecom Ltd.,
co-owned by US-based Starlight Communications, has installed an earth station gateway
linked to Norway in Mogadishu and its wireless local loop network currently serves 1,000
subscribers. Other private companies are:
- Barakaat International operating in
Mogadishu with approximately 800 subscribers;
- Netco (North Eastern
Telecommunications Company) serves the north eastern region and has around 400
subscribers; and
- Bosaso, a local company, operates
also in the north eastern region with around 700 subscribers.
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