Telephone
Armenia has 2.8 million subscribers in total, a 36% penetration rate.
| Rank | Operator | Technology | Subscribers |
Ownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Viva Cell | GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, LTE | 1,750,000 (June 2011)
1,800,000 (March 2012) |
MTS (100%) |
| 2 | Beeline | GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA | 550,000 (June 2011)
600,000 (March 2012) |
VimpelCom (90%). Armenian Government (10%) |
| 3 | Orange | GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA | 330,000 (June 2011)
400,000 (March 2012) |
Subsidiary of France Télécom (100%) |
There are three telephone companies in Armenia: Beeline, which holds all fixed-line and 30% of cellular networks, Viva Cell MTS, which holds 70% of cellular networks, and Orange. Beeline has around 550,000 mobile subscribers, and Viva Cell MTS has around 1,750,000, and Orange has around 250,000. At the moment, many of these companies are in the process of modernising and expanding their coverage of the country. Viva Cell MTS and Beeline are two Russian giants with strong coverage in Armenia. Orange is a newcomer to Armenia. Orange is possibly the smallest of three companies but it is currently investing millions of dollars expanding its coverage.
3G service was announced by Beeline in the summer of 2008. Viva Cell MTS announced theirs in October 2008. Both Viva Cell MTS and Beeline claim to cover 90% of the Armenian population with 2G services and up to 60% with their 3G services. Orange currently has the smallest 3G coverage but it is rapidly growing. The 2G coverage of Orange is of around 70% of the population, but it is also rapidly growing.
Read more about this topic: Communications In Armenia
Famous quotes containing the word telephone:
“The telephone gives us the happiness of being together yet safely apart.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“A woman spent all Christmas Day in a telephone box without ringing anyone. If someone comes to phone, she leaves the box, then resumes her place afterwards. No one calls her either, but from a window in the street, someone watched her all day, no doubt since they had nothing better to do. The Christmas syndrome.”
—Jean Baudrillard (b. 1929)
“The press and politicians. A delicate relationship. Too close, and danger ensues. Too far apart and democracy itself cannot function without the essential exchange of information. Creative leaks, a discreet lunch, interchange in the Lobby, the art of the unattributable telephone call, late at night.”
—Howard Brenton (b. 1942)