Telecommunications in Syria
ARTICLE FROM WIKIPEDIA
Telecommunications in Syria is slowly moving towards liberalization, with a number of licenses awarded and services launched in the Internet service provision market. The initiative reflects the government’s change in attitude towards liberalization, following its promise to the European Union to liberalize markets by 2010. All other forms of fixed-line communications are provided by the state owned operator, Syrian Telecom (Syriatel or STE).
International dialing code: +963
Further information: Telephone numbers in Syria
Landline telephones in use in 2009: 4,069,000.
Mobile phones in use in 2009: 11,696,000. The mobile operators are Syriatel (http://www.syriatel.sy) and MTN (http://www.mtn.com.sy). There is mobile phone coverage in most parts of Syria providing access to 96% of the population. Call quality ranges from acceptable to poor. Many international calls fail or are less clear over the mobile network compared to the landline network.
Radio: 14 AM, 11 FM, and 1 shortwave stations in 1998. The radio operators are the state owned Syrian Arab Republic Radio and Al-Madina FM, the first private radio station, launched in March 2005. Private radio stations cannot transmit news or political content.
Further information: List of radio stations in Syria
Television: There are two television operators: the state owned Syrian Television which operates two domestic networks and a satellite channel, broadcasting in Arabic, English, and French and the private Addounia TV. Private TV stations cannot transmit news or political content. There are no restrictions on the use of satellite receivers and many viewers watch pan-Arab TV stations. Roughly two-thirds of Syrian homes have a satellite dish providing access to foreign TV broadcasts.
Opposition satellite stations broadcast from abroad; they include London-based Barada TV and Orient TV, which operates from the UAE.
Internet
Country code: The top level domain for Syria is
There were 4,469,000 Internet users in Syria as of June 2011 for a 19.8% Internet penetration rate. Syria ranks 12th out of 14 countries in the Middle East region, just behind Jordan (26.8%) and Lebanon (29.0%) and ahead of Yemen (9.7%) and Iraq (2.8%). Growth in the number of Internet users has been fairly steady since 2005:
Year
Internet users
% of population
2000 30,000 0.2%
2002 220,000 1.2%
2005 800,000 4.2%
2009 3,565,000 16.4%
2010 3,935,000 17.7%
2011 4,469,000 19.8%
There were 420 Syrian Internet hosts in 2010, placing Syria 187th out of 231 in the world.
With a measured download speed that averages 768 kbit/s, the speed of the Internet in Syria is relatively slow compared to the world-wide average of 4.6 Mbit/s.
ADSL service in Syria has been available since 2003.However, ADSL is not available in all locations and, where available, the local telco may not have enough ports for immediate activation. Through 2009 broadband Internet access had reached less than 0.2% of the Syrian population.
The 3G wireless Internet is available in all major cities as well as cities with significant tourism. 3.5G EDGE wireless Internet is available through mobile network operators, SyriaTel and MTN. Wireless Internet is accessed using a USB stick purchased from the mobile operators. In addition, 3G SIM cards for use on mobile phones may be purchased with a data plan. However, only WCDMA phones support data at the moment.
High-speed Internet is also available through many Internet cafes.
[edit]Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
Internet censorship
Main article: Internet censorship in Syria
Internet filtering in Syria was found to be pervasive in the political and Internet tools areas, and selective in the social and conflict/security areas by the OpenNet Initiative in August 2009. Syria has been on Reporters Without Borders Enemy of the Internet list since 2006 when the list was established. In 2009, the Committee to Protect Journalists named Syria number three in a list of the ten worst countries in which to be a blogger, given the arrests, harassment, and restrictions which online writers in Syria have faced.
Syria has banned websites for political reasons and arrested people accessing them. In addition to filtering a wide range of Web content, the Syrian government monitors Internet use very closely and has detained citizens "for expressing their opinions or reporting information online." Vague and broadly worded laws invite government abuse and have prompted Internet users to engage in self-censoring and self-monitoring to avoid the state's ambiguous grounds for arrest.
In February 2011 Syria stopped filtering YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.
Syrian Telecom uses a caching proxy and as a result updates to news agency sites may not appear in Syria for many hours.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is blocked completely and requires a proxy or Virtual Private Network (VPN) to work around it. However, VoIP operators that utilize non-standard Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) ports may function behind Syria's proxy. VPN Access using the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) is also blocked.
Internet cafes, which are wide spread and accessible to the public for a fee, can be used to access blocked sites.[16] However, more restrictions have been placed on internet cafes, all public internet centers need operating approval from the security services, are required to keep detailed records of their customers' surfing habits, and people have been arrested after accessing blocked content.
Telecommunications in Syria is slowly moving towards liberalization, with a number of licenses awarded and services launched in the Internet service provision market. The initiative reflects the government’s change in attitude towards liberalization, following its promise to the European Union to liberalize markets by 2010. All other forms of fixed-line communications are provided by the state owned operator, Syrian Telecom (Syriatel or STE).
International dialing code: +963
Further information: Telephone numbers in Syria
Landline telephones in use in 2009: 4,069,000.
Mobile phones in use in 2009: 11,696,000. The mobile operators are Syriatel (http://www.syriatel.sy) and MTN (http://www.mtn.com.sy). There is mobile phone coverage in most parts of Syria providing access to 96% of the population. Call quality ranges from acceptable to poor. Many international calls fail or are less clear over the mobile network compared to the landline network.
Radio: 14 AM, 11 FM, and 1 shortwave stations in 1998. The radio operators are the state owned Syrian Arab Republic Radio and Al-Madina FM, the first private radio station, launched in March 2005. Private radio stations cannot transmit news or political content.
Further information: List of radio stations in Syria
Television: There are two television operators: the state owned Syrian Television which operates two domestic networks and a satellite channel, broadcasting in Arabic, English, and French and the private Addounia TV. Private TV stations cannot transmit news or political content. There are no restrictions on the use of satellite receivers and many viewers watch pan-Arab TV stations. Roughly two-thirds of Syrian homes have a satellite dish providing access to foreign TV broadcasts.
Opposition satellite stations broadcast from abroad; they include London-based Barada TV and Orient TV, which operates from the UAE.
Internet
Country code: The top level domain for Syria is
There were 4,469,000 Internet users in Syria as of June 2011 for a 19.8% Internet penetration rate. Syria ranks 12th out of 14 countries in the Middle East region, just behind Jordan (26.8%) and Lebanon (29.0%) and ahead of Yemen (9.7%) and Iraq (2.8%). Growth in the number of Internet users has been fairly steady since 2005:
Year
Internet users
% of population
2000 30,000 0.2%
2002 220,000 1.2%
2005 800,000 4.2%
2009 3,565,000 16.4%
2010 3,935,000 17.7%
2011 4,469,000 19.8%
There were 420 Syrian Internet hosts in 2010, placing Syria 187th out of 231 in the world.
With a measured download speed that averages 768 kbit/s, the speed of the Internet in Syria is relatively slow compared to the world-wide average of 4.6 Mbit/s.
ADSL service in Syria has been available since 2003.However, ADSL is not available in all locations and, where available, the local telco may not have enough ports for immediate activation. Through 2009 broadband Internet access had reached less than 0.2% of the Syrian population.
The 3G wireless Internet is available in all major cities as well as cities with significant tourism. 3.5G EDGE wireless Internet is available through mobile network operators, SyriaTel and MTN. Wireless Internet is accessed using a USB stick purchased from the mobile operators. In addition, 3G SIM cards for use on mobile phones may be purchased with a data plan. However, only WCDMA phones support data at the moment.
High-speed Internet is also available through many Internet cafes.
[edit]Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
ISPs in Syria include:
- Aalam
- AYA
- E-LCOM
- INET
- Omniya
- Runnet
- SAWA Internet Provider
- SCS
- Syrian Telecommunications Establishment (STE)
- ZAD
[edit]
Internet censorship
Main article: Internet censorship in Syria
Internet filtering in Syria was found to be pervasive in the political and Internet tools areas, and selective in the social and conflict/security areas by the OpenNet Initiative in August 2009. Syria has been on Reporters Without Borders Enemy of the Internet list since 2006 when the list was established. In 2009, the Committee to Protect Journalists named Syria number three in a list of the ten worst countries in which to be a blogger, given the arrests, harassment, and restrictions which online writers in Syria have faced.
Syria has banned websites for political reasons and arrested people accessing them. In addition to filtering a wide range of Web content, the Syrian government monitors Internet use very closely and has detained citizens "for expressing their opinions or reporting information online." Vague and broadly worded laws invite government abuse and have prompted Internet users to engage in self-censoring and self-monitoring to avoid the state's ambiguous grounds for arrest.
In February 2011 Syria stopped filtering YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.
Syrian Telecom uses a caching proxy and as a result updates to news agency sites may not appear in Syria for many hours.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is blocked completely and requires a proxy or Virtual Private Network (VPN) to work around it. However, VoIP operators that utilize non-standard Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) ports may function behind Syria's proxy. VPN Access using the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) is also blocked.
Internet cafes, which are wide spread and accessible to the public for a fee, can be used to access blocked sites.[16] However, more restrictions have been placed on internet cafes, all public internet centers need operating approval from the security services, are required to keep detailed records of their customers' surfing habits, and people have been arrested after accessing blocked content.
VSAT INTERNET FOR SYRIA
Syria is within our satellite KU band service coverage via SES-4, AM44 and ARABSAT. See footprints below
See above the Middle East Map and trace Syria to the satellite coverage below. This means Syrian people can avail of a two way data, voice, video and internet communications to the rest of the globe via any of these covering communication satellites.
What will be required are an ODU (Out Door Unit) composed of satellite dish antenna (VSAT), penetrating or non penetrating mount which can be aligned to the serving satellite by qualified engineer in no time; and an IDU (In Door Unit) composed of satellite modem or receiver/transmitter and a connection to the end user LAN (Local Area Network).
Covered cities and places in Syria: Qardaha, Qatana,Qudsaya, Al-Qusayr, Al-Qutayfah, Ra's al-'Ayn, Al-Rastan, As-Safira, Safita, Salamiyah, Salkhad,Al-Sanamayn,Shahba,Ash-Shaykh Badr,Al-Suqaylabiyah,Tal Abyad,Talkalakh,Al-Tall,Al-Thawrah,Yabrud,Zabadani, Latakia, Quneitra, Ar-Raqqah, As-Suwayda, Tartus, Afrin, Arihah, Atarib, Ayn al-Arab,A'zaz,Al-Bab,Baniyas,Abu Kamal,Darayya,Dayr Hafir,Douma,Duraykish,Fiq,Al-Haffah,Harem,Izra',Jableh,Jarabulus,Jisr ash-Shugur,Maarat al-Numaan,Al-Malikiyah,Manbij,Masyaf,Mayadin,Mhardeh,Al-Mukharram,An-Nabk,Palmyra,Qamishli
Arabic names: القرداحة, قطنا, قدسيا, القصير, القطيفة, رأس العين, الرستن, السفيرة, صافيتا, سلمية, صلخد, الصنمين, ,شهبا,الشيخ بدر ,السقيلبية ,تل أبيض تلكلخ, التل,الثورة,يبرود,الزبداني اللاذقية القنيطرة الرقة السويداء طرطوس n/a عفرين أريحا الأتارب عين العرب أعزاز الباب بانياس البوكمال داريا دير حافر دوما دريكيش فيق الحفة حارم ازرع جبلة جرابلس جسر الشغور معرة النعمان المالكية منبج مصياف الميادين محردة مخرم الفوقاني النبك تدمر القامشلي
Districts: Qardaha District, Qatana District, Qudsaya District, Al-Qusayr District, Al-Qutayfah District, Ra's al-'Ayn District, Ar-Rastan District, As-Safira District, Safita District, Salamiyah District, Salkhad District, Al-Sanamayn District, Shahba District, Ash-Shaykh Badr District, Al-Suqaylabiyah District, Tal Abyad District, Talkalakh District, Al-Tall District, Al-Thawrah District,,Yabrud District, Latakia District, Quneitra District,Ar-Raqqah District, As-Suwayda District,Tartus District, Markaz Rif Dimashq, Afrin District, Arihah District, Atarib District, Ayn Al-Arab District A'zaz District,Al Bab District,Baniyas District,Abu Kamal District, Darayya District Dayr Hafir District,Douma District,Duraykish District,Fiq District, Al-Haffah District, Harem District,Izra' District,Jableh District,Jarabulus District, Jisr ash-Shugur District, Maarat al-Numaan District,Al-Malikiyah District,Manbij District,Masyaf District, Mayadin District,Mhardeh District, Al-Mukharram District,Al-Nabk District, Palmyra District, Qamishli District
Governorate: Latakia Governorate, Rif Dimashq Governorate, Rif Dimashq Governorate, Homs Governorate, Rif Dimashq Governorate, Al-Hasakah Governorate, Homs Governorate, Aleppo Governorate, Tartus Governorate, Hama Governorate,As-Suwayda Governorate,Daraa Governorate, As-Suwayda Governorate,Tartus Governorate,Hama Governorate, Ar-Raqqah Governorate,Homs Governorate,Rif Dimashq Governorate,Ar-Raqqah Governorate, Rif Dimashq Governorate, Rif Dimashq Governorate, Latakia Governorate, Quneitra Governorate, Ar-Raqqah Governorate, As-Suwayda Governorate,Tartus Governorate,Rif Dimashq Governorate,Aleppo Governorate,Idlib Governorate, Aleppo Governorate,Aleppo Governorate,Aleppo Governorate,Aleppo Governorate,Tartus Governorate, Deir ez-Zor Governorate,Rif Dimashq Governorate,Aleppo Governorate,Aleppo Governorate, Tartus Governorate,Al-Qunaytirah Governorate,Latakia Governorate, Idlib Governorate, Daraa Governorate,Latakia Governorate,Aleppo Governorate, Idlib Governorate,Idlib Governorate, Al-Hasakah Governorate, Aleppo Governorate,Hama Governorate, Deir ez-Zor Governorate,Hama Governorate, Homs Governorate, Rif Dimashq Governorate, Homs Governorate, Al-Hasakah Governorate
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