Communications in the Central African Republic
Encyclopedia
Postal System
Direction des services postaux de l’Office National des Postes et de l'ÉpargneDirection des services postaux de l’Office National des Postes et de l'Épargne
Direction des services postaux de l’Office National des Postes et de l'Épargne is the government organization responsible for the postal service in the Central African Republic.-See also:*Communications in Central African Republic...
is responsible for the postal service.
Telephone Network
- The national network for fixed phones consists of some Panaftel microwaveMicrowaveMicrowaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
radio relay links (from Bangui to Bossembele, Baoro, Carnot, Berberati and on to Gamboula on the border with Cameroon). This microwave network has however never been used, since the equipment requires electricity for the repeaters that are located every 50 km (31.1 mi). The current fixed-lines outside BanguiBangui-Law and government:Bangui is an autonomous commune of the Central African Republic. With an area of 67 km², it is by far the smallest high-level administrative division of the CAR in area but the highest in population...
are transmitted through a DOMSAT network installed in the early 1990s as a star formation around the Bangui satellite earth station (1 IntelsatIntelsatIntelsat, Ltd. is a communications satellite services provider.Originally formed as International Telecommunications Satellite Organization , it was—from 1964 to 2001—an intergovernmental consortium owning and managing a constellation of communications satellites providing international broadcast...
). There are about 90000 fixed-lines subscribers (2003). - GSM coverage was for a long time limited to the capital area. But in June 2006 coverage was expanded at least to Berberati in the western part of the country. There are currently two GSM-900 mobile operators, Telecel CAR and Nationlink Telecom RCA. A third network, Centrafrique Telecom Plus closed down in late 2005 after failing to attract more than 5,000 subscribers and after failing to renew its license, in accordance to the new Bozize government.
- SocatelSocatelSocatel is the leading telecommunications and Internet service provider in the Central African Republic. The government owns 60% of its stock and France Câbles et Radio, an affiliate of France Telecom, 40%....
is the country's leading telecommunications and internet service providerInternet service providerAn Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
.