Telecommunications market of CyprusPhone Cards, Calling Cards |
| Cyprus is a divided country with most of the information in this report concerned only with the situation in the Greek Cypriot area. Cyprus is one of the ten countries which joined the EU on 1 May 2004 but was slow to liberalise its telecommunications market and align its legislation with that of the EU. A number of alternative operators offer services in the liberalised market but state-owned CyTA dominates the fixed-line, mobile and Internet markets although its market share recent regulatory developments will ease the operating conditions of alternative operators, encouraging increased competition. Faced with the inexorable certainty of losing market share, the incumbent has expanded services overseas. Fixed-line, mobile and Internet penetration are higher than in most East European countries but broadband penetration is low compared to the EU average, with the incumbent the sole provider of services. However progress has been made in terms of competitive offerings as a number of access agreements have been concluded. Digital pay TV services are available through a variety of methods and the broadband TV services are available, one of the first of its kind in Eastern Europe. The mobile market is serviced by two operators although the secondary operator holds a small market share, given that it commenced services in late-2004. The secondary operator has launched third generation services and is slowly gaining subscribers. |
| Cyprus Phone Cards |