The Eritrean Telecommunication Services Corporation (formerly the Telecommunications Service of Eritrea), more commonly known as EriTel, is the sole operator of land line telephone communication infrastructure in Eritrea

Eritrea

Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...

. It is also the sole operator of the mobile telephone service, however, it is but one of several internet service provider

Internet service provider

An 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...

s in Eritrea.

EriTel (mobile phone operator)

Mobile service by EriTel started in March 2004 and service has grown considerably since inception. EriTel operates a GSM 900 network which covers almost all major urban areas including: Asmara

Asmara

Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...

, Embatkala, Ghinda

Ghinda

Ghinda is a town in the Northern Red Sea region of Eritrea. It lies between Asmara and Massawa.-Overview:Ghinda is a major fruit and vegetable growing area and a centre for Tigre Muslims. It lies near the springs of Sabarguma...

, Massawa

Massawa

Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa (Ge'ez ምጽዋዕ , formerly ባጽዕ is a city on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. An important port for many centuries, it was ruled by a succession of polities, including the Axumite Empire, the Umayyad Caliphate,...

, Dekemhare

Dekemhare

Dekemhare is a town in Eritrea, lying south east of Asmara. Developed by the Italians as an industrial centre, it became known for its vineyards but was largely destroyed in the Eritrean War of Independence.-History:...

, Mendefera

Mendefera

Mendefera , formerly Adi Ugri, is the capital of Zoba Debub in Eritrea. It is situated 54 kilometers south of the capital city Asmara. The name Mendefera derives from the high hill in the center of the city and is a source of pride to Eritreans...

, Keren

Keren, Eritrea

Keren is the second largest city in Eritrea. It is situated about 91 kilometers northwest of Asmara. The town serves as the capital of the Anseba region, and is home to the Bilen ethnic group.-History:...

, Adi Keyh

Adi Keyh

Adi Keyh is a market town in Eritrea, lying approximatively 110 kilometers southeast of Asmara. It lies almost 2,500 metres above sea level and has a population of around 25,000 people...

, Barentu

Barentu

Barentu may refer to:* Barentu, Eritrea is a town in Eritrea.* Barentu is a moiety of the Oromo people....

, Teseney

Teseney

Teseney , also spelled Tessenei or Tesseney, is a market town in western Eritrea. It lies south-east of Kassala in Sudan, on the Gash River. The city was much fought over in the Eritrean War of Independence during which much of it was destroyed...

, Agordat

Agordat

Agordat is a city in Eritrea. It was the former capital of the now defunct Barka Province of Eritrea .- Overview :...

, Sawa

Sawa

Sawa may refer to:*The Sawa peoples of CameroonLocations*Sawa, Nepal*The Sawa Defence Training Centre of Eritrea*Sawa, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Arts*SAWA, Japanese techno-pop singer*Devon Sawa, Canadian actor...

, and Nakfa

Nakfa, Eritrea

Nakfa is a town in northern Eritrea, after which the nakfa currency is named. It served as the base for the Eritrean People's Liberation Front, during the Eritrean War of Independence....

.

This branch of EriTel was founded jointly between the Government of Eritrea and Ubambo Investment Holdings Limited (a South African firm). Eritel doesn't provide its customers with SMS services to foreign locations.

EriTel (ISP)

As an internet operator it was among the first to get a license to operate. To provide its product the company provides internet cafes, leased lines, and dial-up connections. Connections are typically overcrowded however, and congestion is an acknowledged problem. EriTel controls the national gateway and created it in partnership with USAID.

EriTel (landline operator)

EriTel assumed this infrastructure from the Postal and Telecommunications Authority once they were split into separate entities. The infrastructure that is used was laid during the Italian colonial period. It consists primarily of aging copper wire, though in the major urban centers, including Asmara, Massawa, and Keren, upgrades have been made to the switching systems.