View source for Telecommunications in Guinea

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
'''Telecommunications in Guinea''' include radio, television, fixed and mobile radio, and the Internet.

The people of Guinea are among the poorest in West Africa<ref name=BBCNews-GuineaProfile-2012/> and this reality is reflected in the development of the country's telecommunications environment. Radio is the most important source of information for the public in Guinea, and the only one to reach the entire country.

There is a single government-owned radio network, a growing number of private radio stations, and one government TV station. The fixed telephone system is inadequate, with just 18,000 lines to serve the country's 10.5 million inhabitants in 2012. Internet usage is very low, reaching just 1.5% of the population in 2012.

==Radio and television==

Radio remains the most important source of information for the public,<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Guinea-2012/> and the only one to reach the entire country.<ref name=BBCNews-GuineaProfile-2012>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13442054 ""], ''BBC News'', 14 March 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2014.</ref> The government licensed the country's first private broadcasters in 2006.<ref name=BBCNews-GuineaProfile-2012/>

* [[Radio broadcasting|Radio stations]]:
** one state-run radio broadcast station, [[Radio Télévision Guinéenne]] (RTG); RTG also operates several stations in rural areas; there are a steadily increasing number of privately owned radio stations, nearly all in the capital, [[Conakry]]; and about a dozen community radio stations (2011);<ref name=CIAWFB-Guinea-2014>[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/guinea/ "Communications: Guinea"], ''World Factbook'', U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, 28 January 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2014.</ref>
** 4 [[AM radio|AM]], 8 [[FM broadcasting|FM]], and 3 [[shortwave]] (1998).
* [[Receiver (radio)|Radios]]: 357,000 (1997).{{update after|2014|2|5}}
* [[Television broadcasting|Television stations]]:
** one state-run TV station, [[Radio Télévision Guinéenne]] (RTG); foreign TV programming is available via satellite and cable subscription services (2011);<ref name=CIAWFB-Guinea-2014/>
** 6 TV stations (1997).
* [[Television set]]s: 85,000 (1997).{{update after|2014|2|5}}

=== State censorship ===
The government maintains marginal control over broadcast media,<ref name=CIAWFB-Guinea-2014/> the media laws promulgated following the [[Guinean presidential election, 2010|2010 democratic transition]] have not been implemented,<ref name=BBCNews-GuineaProfile-2012/> and there are reports of state censorship through journalist harassment and station closures. For example:<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Guinea-2012/>
* On 26 August 2012, the National Communication Council (CNC) suspended private radio station Liberte FM, based in the Forest Region city of N’Zerekore. The closure prevented Liberte FM from covering protests announced by opposition leaders for the following day. The national government allowed Liberty FM to reopen 48 hours later, after the protests concluded.
* On 1 October 2012, Electricity of Guinea cut service to Espace FM, host of the investigative reporting radio program "The Big Mouths." The utility company claimed that Espace FM and its sister station, Sweet FM, collectively owed nearly 150 million GNF ($21,521) for electricity bills, despite the station's possession of payment receipts. Both stations were forced to operate on expensive generator power.
* The government has been accused of penalizing stations and journalists who broadcast items criticizing government officials and their actions. Some journalists accuse government officials of attempting to influence the tone of their reporting with inappropriate pressure and bribes. Some journalists also hire bodyguards, and many practice [[self-censorship]].

==Telephones==
{{See also |Telephone numbers in Guinea}}

* [[Calling code]]: +224<ref name=CIAWFB-Guinea-2014/>
* [[List of international call prefixes|International call prefix]]: 00<ref>[http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-t/opb/sp/T-SP-E.164C-2011-PDF-E.pdf ''Dialing Procedures (International Prefix, National (Trunk) Prefix and National (Significant) Number) (in Accordance with ITY-T Recommendation E.164 (11/2010))''], Annex to ITU Operational Bulletin No. 994-15.XII.2011, International Telecommunication Union (ITU, Geneva), 15 December 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2014.</ref>
* Main lines: 
** 18,000 lines in use, 115th in the world (2012);<ref name=CIAWFB-Guinea-2014/>
** 11,000 lines in use (1995).
* [[mobile phone|Mobile cellular]]: 
** 12,394 million lines,(2019).<ref>[https://www.arpt.gov.gn/sites/default/files/Documentation/observatoire_t1_2019.pdf ARPT OBSERVATOIRE 2019]</ref>
** 790,000 lines (2007). 
* Telephone system: inadequate system of open-wire lines, small [[radiotelephone]] communication stations, and a new [[microwave radio relay]] system; [[Conakry]] reasonably well-served; coverage elsewhere remains inadequate and large companies tend to rely on their own systems for nationwide links; fixed-line teledensity less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership is expanding and exceeds 40 per 100 persons (2011).<ref name=CIAWFB-Guinea-2014/> 
* [[Communications satellite|Satellite earth stations]]: 1 [[Intelsat]] ([[Atlantic Ocean]]) (2011).<ref name=CIAWFB-Guinea-2014/>
* [[List of international submarine communications cables|Communications cables]]: [[ACE (cable system)|African Coast to Europe]] (ACE) submarine communications cable, which has a landing point in Conakry, links 23 countries along the west coast of Africa and on to [[Portugal]] and [[France]].<ref>[http://www.ace-submarinecable.com/ace/default/EN/all/ace_en/index.htm "ACE: Africa Coast to Europe"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311232858/https://www.ace-submarinecable.com/ace/default/EN/all/ace_en/index.htm |date=2016-03-11 }}, Orange SA. Retrieved 4 February 2014.</ref>

==Internet==

* [[Top-level domain]]: [[.gn]]<ref name=CIAWFB-Guinea-2014/>
* [[List of countries by number of Internet users|Internet users]]: 
** 4,563 million users; 38% of the population (2019),<ref name="Statistique">[https://www.arpt.gov.gn/sites/default/files/Documentation/observatoire_t1_2019.pdf] ''ARPT OBSERVATOIRE 2019.''</ref>
** 3,131 million users; 27% of the population (2017),<ref name=Statistique/>
** 2,147 million users; 20% of the population (2014)<ref name=Statistique/>
* [[List of countries by number of broadband Internet subscriptions|Fixed broadband]]: 762 subscriptions, 183rd in the world; less than 0.05% of population, 189th in the world (2012).<ref name=NIUCalc>Calculated using penetration rate and population data from [https://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/rank.php "Countries and Areas Ranked by Population: 2012"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329060848/https://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/rank.php |date=2017-03-29 }}, Population data, International Programs,  U.S. Census Bureau, retrieved 26 June 2013</ref><ref name="FixedBroadbandITUDynamic2012">[http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ICTEYE/Reporting/DynamicReportWizard.aspx "Fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131095656/http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ICTEYE/Reporting/DynamicReportWizard.aspx |date=2018-01-31 }}, Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, [[International Telecommunication Union]]. Retrieved on 29 June 2013.</ref>
* [[List of countries by number of broadband Internet subscriptions|Wireless broadband]]: Unknown (2012).<ref name="MobleBroadbandITUDynamic2012">[http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ICTEYE/Reporting/DynamicReportWizard.aspx "Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131095656/http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ICTEYE/Reporting/DynamicReportWizard.aspx |date=2018-01-31 }}, Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, [[International Telecommunication Union]]. Retrieved on 29 June 2013.</ref>
* [[List of countries by number of Internet hosts|Internet hosts]]: 15 hosts, 223rd in the world (2012).<ref name=CIAWFB-Guinea-2014/>
* [[List of countries by IPv4 address allocation|IPv4]]: 4,096 addresses allocated, less than 0.05% of the world total, 0.4 addresses per 1000 people (2012).<ref>[http://www.countryipblocks.net/country-blocks/select-formats/ Select Formats] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513033601/http://www.countryipblocks.net/country-blocks/select-formats/ |date=2009-05-13 }}, Country IP Blocks. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Site is said to be updated daily.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070613003851/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2119.html Population], [[The World Factbook]], [[United States]] [[Central Intelligence Agency]]. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Data are mostly for 1 July 2012.</ref>
* [[Internet Service Provider]]s: several ISPs including SKYVISON, ETI Bull, and Vizocom.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.vizocom.com/ |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=Vizocom - Leading ICT, Security, VSAT Internet, Cyber Security, Supply Chain in the Middle East, Africa |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Internet censorship and surveillance===
There are no government restrictions on access to the Internet or credible reports that the government monitors [[e-mail]] or Internet [[chat rooms]] without judicial oversight.<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Guinea-2012>[https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2012&dlid=204127 "Guinea"], ''Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012'', Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State, 3 April 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2014.</ref>

The constitution and law provide for [[freedom of speech]] and [[freedom of the press|of the press]], but the government, nevertheless, restricts these freedoms. [[Libel]] against the head of state, [[slander]], and false reporting are subject to heavy fines. Some journalists accuse government officials of attempting to influence the tone of their reporting with inappropriate pressure and bribes. Some journalists hire bodyguards, and many practice [[self-censorship]]. Although the constitution and law provide for the inviolability of the home and legal searches require judicial search warrants, police reportedly ignore legal procedures in the pursuit of criminal suspects or when it serves their personal interests.<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Guinea-2012/>

==See also==
* [[Radio Télévision Guinéenne]] (RTG), the national broadcaster of Guinea.

==References==
* {{CIA World Factbook}}
* {{US DOS |year=2012}}
{{reflist |30em}}

==External links==
* [http://psg.com/dns/gn/ .gn domain registration website].

{{Clear}}
{{Guinea topics}}
{{Africa topic|Telecommunications in}}
{{Telecommunications}}
{{Internet censorship by country}}

[[Category:Telecommunications in Guinea| ]]