Telecommunications in the Falkland Islands

Telecommunications in the Falkland Islands includes radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet.

Radio and television

KTV Radio Nova Saint FM banner

• Radio: Radio services provided by the public broadcaster, Falkland Islands Radio Service, broadcasting on both AM and FM frequencies, and by the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) (2007).^[1]
• Radio sets: 1,000 (1997).

The Falkland Islands Radio Service (FIRS) operates a radio network in conjunction with the BBC World Service, while the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) operates three networks of its own. KTV Ltd. also operates two relay stations, KTV Radio Nova, a rebroadcast of BBC World Service, and KTV Radio Nova Saint FM, a rebroadcast of Saint FM.

• Television: TV service provided by a multi-channel service provider (2007).^[1]
• Television sets: 1,008 (2001).

Five channels are provided by BFBS: BBC One, BBC Two, ITV BFBS Extra and Sky News for non-military. Entitled personnel within British Forces South Atlantic can also receive Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports 2 and BFBS Sport.

A local subscription service, KTV carries satellite channels such as ESPN, Discovery, CNN International and Turner Classic Movies (from the United States) along with BBC World and BBC Entertainment from the United Kingdom.^[2]

Telephones

• Calling code: +500^[1]
• International call prefix: 00^[3]
• Main lines: 1,980 lines in use (2012), 218th in the world.^[1]
• Mobile cellular: 3,450 lines, 216th in the world (2012);^[1] Cable & Wireless launched "Touch" a GSM 900 mobile service during December 2005; Roaming became partially available in April 2007 depending on providers.
• Domestic: Government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands (2011).^[1] Services in Stanley are delivered via fibre optic and copper. Telephone penetration by household is 100%.
• Satellite earth station: 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through the United Kingdom to other countries (2011).^[1]

Internet

• Top-level domain: .fk^[1]
• Internet users: 2,842 users, 208th in the world; 96.9% of the population, 1st in the world (2012).^[4][5]
• Fixed broadband: 1,187 subscriptions, 179th in the world; 40.5% of the population, 5th in the world (2012).^[4][6]
• Wireless broadband: unknown (2012).^[7]
• Internet hosts: 110 hosts, 207th in the world (2012).^[1]
• Internet Service Providers (ISPs): Sure South Atlantic (formerly Cable & Wireless).^[8]
• ADSL services were launched in Stanley in mid-2006.^[8]

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the CIA World Factbook document "2013 edition".

1. "Communications: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)", World Factbook, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, 3 December 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
2. KTV Ltd.
3. Dialing Procedures (International Prefix, National (Trunk) Prefix and National (Significant) Number) (in Accordance with ITY-T Recommendation E.164 (11/2010)), Annex to ITU Operational Bulletin No. 994-15.XII.2011, International Telecommunication Union (ITU, Geneva), 15 December 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
4. Calculated using penetration rate and population data from "Countries and Areas Ranked by Population: 2012", Population data, International Programs, U.S. Census Bureau, retrieved 26 June 2013
5. "Percentage of Individuals using the Internet 2000-2012", International Telecommunications Union (Geneva), June 2013, retrieved 22 June 2013
6. "Fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012", Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved on 29 June 2013.
7. "Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012", Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved on 29 June 2013.
8. Sure Falkland Islands History, Sure South Atlantic. Retrieved 5 January 2014.

External links

• KTV, website.
• Station History, Falkland Islands Radio Service (FIRS).
• How it all started, Saint FM (Falklands).
• Sure Falkland Islands History, Sure South Atlantic, the successor to Cable & Wireless.