New Technologies and services - Cable Television
WORLD: AFRICA
Law regulating
cable television
Angola
Telecommunication companies can
provide cable television service
No
...
Cable companies can
provide telephony
2
Benin
...
...
Yes
1
Botswana
...
No
No
1
Burkina Faso
No
Yes
No
1
Burundi
No
Yes No applications.
No
Yes The relevant licence must be
obtained.
No
Cameroon
1
Cape Verde
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Chad
No
No
No
Congo
No
...
1
Congo (Dem. Rep.)
No
...
...
1
Côte d'Ivoire
...
...
...
1
Equatorial Guinea
Central African
Rep.
1
Yes
Eritrea
No
1
Ethiopia
No
2
Gabon
Gambia
...
No
Yes Unrestricted
No
Yes Only the main operator is
permitted to provide such service.
...
Yes None
= 1999 data, 2 = pre-1999 data,
- new question in 2000
Source: ITU World Telecommunication Regulatory Database.
1
...
No
No
...
No
WORLD: AFRICA
Law regulating
cable television
Telecommunication companies can
provide cable television service
Yes Only Licensed operators allowed.
Cable companies can
provide telephony
1
Ghana
Yes
1
Guinea
No
...
No
2
Guinea-Bissau
...
...
...
Kenya
No
No
Yes
2
Lesotho
No
...
...
2
Liberia
...
...
...
Madagascar
No
No
No
Malawi
No
Yes
No
Yes
...
Mauritius
No
No
No
Mozambique
No
Yes
No
Namibia
No
No
No
Niger
No
No
No
Nigeria
Yes
No
No
2
Rwanda
No
No
No
2
S. Tomé & Principe
...
...
...
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
2
Mali
1
1
Senegal
Seychelles
1
Sierra Leone
No
Yes Despite the fact that there is no
statement/law on this we don't
think that government will restrict
telecomms operators from
providing such service.
= 1999 data, 2 = pre-1999 data,
- new question in 2000
Source: ITU World Telecommunication Regulatory Database.
1
No
...
WORLD: AFRICA
Law regulating
cable television
Telecommunication companies can
provide cable television service
Cable companies can
provide telephony
1
South Africa
...
...
...
2
Swaziland
...
No
No
2
Tanzania
Yes
No
No
1
Togo
...
...
...
Uganda
...
1
Zambia
...
...
...
1
Zimbabwe
No
No
No
Yes None
= 1999 data, 2 = pre-1999 data,
- new question in 2000
Source: ITU World Telecommunication Regulatory Database.
1
WORLD: AMERICAS
Law regulating
cable television
Telecommunication companies can
provide cable television service
Cable companies can
provide telephony
Antigua & Barbuda
No
...
No
Argentina
No
No
No
2
Bahamas
...
...
...
2
Barbados
...
...
...
Belize
Yes
No
No
1
Bolivia
No
1
Brazil
Yes Yes, but another licence is
required.
No
Yes
Yes In special cases mentioned in
Law 8.977/97.
No
Canada
Yes
Yes Nothing beyond restrictions
currently in place for telecom
companies.
Yes Telecom company
ownership rules apply.
2
Chile
Yes
Yes Anti-trust law
Yes Licensed intermediate
service operators can
operate the network.
1
Colombia
Yes
Yes Must participate in an objective
selection process to obtain the
licence.
Yes
Costa Rica
Cuba
2
Dominica
No
Yes In reality there are no restrictions,
since ICE has the power to supply
all telecommunication services;
nevertheless, it must be indicated
that the Government's interest is
that ICE should develop
telephony, not television.
Yes
No
No
...
...
...
Dominican Rep.
Yes
Ecuador
Yes
Yes None
No
= 1999 data, 2 = pre-1999 data,
- new question in 2000
Source: ITU World Telecommunication Regulatory Database.
1
No
Yes None
No
WORLD: AMERICAS
Law regulating
cable television
1
El Salvador
2
Grenada
Guatemala
2
Guyana
2
Haiti
2
1
1
Yes
No
Yes
Telecommunication companies can
provide cable television service
Yes None
No
Yes Despite the service being
permitted, no-one is providing it.
Yes None
No
Yes Some companies
provide it at
experimental level.
...
...
...
No
...
No
Honduras
Yes
Yes
No
Jamaica
Yes
No
No
Mexico
Yes
Yes To provide a cable television
service, a public television
network concession is required,
and the legal, technical and
financial capacity to provide the
service must be demonstrated.
Nicaragua
Yes
Yes No restrictions (free competition).
Panama
Paraguay
...
Yes
No
Yes Covered in the regulatory
provisions for non-basic services.
Peru
No
Yes Concession must be requested.
St. Lucia
No
Yes They are restricted to only Cable
TV.
St. Vincent
No
No
= 1999 data, 2 = pre-1999 data,
- new question in 2000
Source: ITU World Telecommunication Regulatory Database.
1
Cable companies can
provide telephony
Yes The relevant legislation
provides for the
provision of additional
services wherever a
company holds a
concession for the public
telecommunication
network. Telephony is
considered as an
additional service to be
provided through cable
television networks.
No
No
No
Yes Concession must be
requested.
No
No
WORLD: AMERICAS
Law regulating
cable television
Suriname
2
1
Telecommunication companies can
provide cable television service
No
Yes
No
Trinidad & Tobago
Yes
No
No
United States
Yes
Yes
Yes
Uruguay
Yes
No
No
Venezuela
Yes
Yes Television system concessionholders may not, under any
circumstances, change their
licence to operate another one,
nor may they opt for another
concession for the same or a
different system.
= 1999 data, 2 = pre-1999 data,
- new question in 2000
Source: ITU World Telecommunication Regulatory Database.
1
Cable companies can
provide telephony
No
WORLD: ASIA PACIFIC
Law regulating
cable television
Afghanistan
Telecommunication companies can
provide cable television service
Cable companies can
provide telephony
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Bangladesh
No
No
No
Bhutan
No
No
No
Brunei Darussalam
No
...
No
Cambodia
No
No
No
1
China
No
No
No
2
D.P.R. Korea
...
...
...
2
Fiji
No
No
No
India
No
No
No
Indonesia
No
Yes
No
Iran (I.R.)
No
...
...
Israel
Yes
No
No
Japan
Yes
Australia
2
2
2
2
Kiribati
Korea (Rep.)
2
Lao P.D.R.
Malaysia
No
Yes
Yes Telcommunication companies
which intend to provide Cable TV
shall obtain permission for Cable
TV operator from the Ministry of
Posts and Telecommunications.
...
Yes They should obtain a license for
cable TV service.
...
Yes They should obtain a
license for telephony.
No
No
...
Yes
No
No
Maldives
= 1999 data, 2 = pre-1999 data,
- new question in 2000
Source: ITU World Telecommunication Regulatory Database.
1
Yes Cable companies which
intend to provide
telephone services shall
obtain permission for
type I carrier from the
Ministry of Posts and
Telecommunications.
No
WORLD: ASIA PACIFIC
Law regulating
cable television
2
Marshall Islands
2
Telecommunication companies can
provide cable television service
Cable companies can
provide telephony
Yes
No
No
Micronesia
No
Yes
No
Mongolia
No
Yes None
No
Myanmar
...
No
No
2
Nauru
...
...
...
1
Nepal
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
New Zealand
Pakistan
Yes
Papua New Guinea
Yes
No
No
Philippines
Yes
No
No
Singapore
Yes
Yes
Yes
...
...
...
Sri Lanka
Yes
...
Thailand
Yes
Yes
Yes
Tonga
No
No
No
2
Tuvalu
No
No
No
2
Vanuatu
...
...
...
Viet Nam
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
2
2
Solomon Islands
Western Samoa
Yes No pornographic material.
= 1999 data, 2 = pre-1999 data,
- new question in 2000
Source: ITU World Telecommunication Regulatory Database.
1
No
WORLD: ARAB STATES
Law regulating
cable television
Telecommunication companies can
provide cable television service
Cable companies can
provide telephony
2
Algeria
No
No
No
1
Bahrain
No
No
No
2
Comoros
No
...
...
1
Djibouti
Yes
No
No
1
Egypt
Yes
No
No
2
Iraq
...
...
...
Jordan
No
No
No
Kuwait
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
1
Lebanon
2
Libya
No
No
No
Mauritania
No
No
No
Morocco
No
No
No
2
Oman
No
...
...
1
Qatar
...
2
Saudi Arabia
...
...
No
2
Somalia
...
...
...
1
Sudan
...
...
...
1
Syria
...
No
No
Tunisia
Yes
Yes
No
United Arab
Emirates
Yes
Yes
No
1
Yes QATAR TELECOM Q.S.C (QTEL) (Monopoly).
= 1999 data, 2 = pre-1999 data,
- new question in 2000
Source: ITU World Telecommunication Regulatory Database.
1
...
WORLD: ARAB STATES
Law regulating
cable television
1
Yemen
No
Telecommunication companies can
provide cable television service
...
= 1999 data, 2 = pre-1999 data,
- new question in 2000
Source: ITU World Telecommunication Regulatory Database.
1
Cable companies can
provide telephony
...
WORLD: EUROPE & CIS
Law regulating
cable television
1
Albania
2
1
Telecommunication companies can
provide cable television service
Cable companies can
provide telephony
Yes
No
No
Andorra
...
...
...
Armenia
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Azerbaijan
No
Yes
No
Belarus
No
...
...
Belgium
Yes
Yes License of the regional authorities.
2
Bosnia
Yes
Yes
No
1
Bulgaria
Yes
No
No
Croatia
Yes
Cyprus
No
Austria
2
Yes A concession is needed.
No
Yes
No
Czech Republic
Yes
Yes Terms and conditions have been
stated in the General Licenses
GP - 14/1996 and GP - 16/1996.
Denmark
Yes
Yes
Yes
Estonia
Yes
Yes The owner of a cable television
network shall not be a company
which accounts for more than
40% of the turnover in the market
of telephone services in Estonia;
the owner of a cable television
network shall have no economic
interest in such company.
Yes Domestic and
international londistance telephone call
as of 01 Jan 2001.
Finland
Yes
Yes No restrictions
Yes No
France
Yes
Yes
Yes
= 1999 data, 2 = pre-1999 data,
- new question in 2000
Source: ITU World Telecommunication Regulatory Database.
1
Yes Obtain a license for
public network and/or
voice telephony.
WORLD: EUROPE & CIS
Law regulating
cable television
2
1
Telecommunication companies can
provide cable television service
Georgia
No
...
...
Germany
No
No
Yes
Greece
Yes
Yes
Yes
Hungary
Yes
Yes According to the amendment of
the Act on Telecommunications:
- No telecommunications
organisation or enterprise in which
a telecommunications
organisation directly or indirectly
has significant influence, cannot
establish, lease or obtain in any
other way right of disposal over
wired (cable) network suitable for
program distribution, parallel with
its own public telephone network
or with public telephone network
of any of enterprises defined
above, except settlements with
number of inhabitants under thirty
thousand.
- A telecommunications
organisation performing program
distribution as well as those
performing public cable program
distribution or enterprises in which
they have significant influence
directly or indirectly, may provide
program distribution service or
acquire service licence pursuant
to the Act on
Telecommunications, only in that
case if they certified at the
competent authority that the
reception area of their cable
distribution enterprise does not
exceed even jointly the limit
related to the reception area of
the service stipulated in the Act I.
of 1996 on radio and television
broadcasting
Iceland
Yes
Yes
Yes
Ireland
Yes
Yes
Yes
Italy
Yes
Yes The incumbent cannot directly
produce contents.
Yes
Kazakhstan
No
Yes
Kyrgyzstan
No
Yes
= 1999 data, 2 = pre-1999 data,
- new question in 2000
Source: ITU World Telecommunication Regulatory Database.
1
Cable companies can
provide telephony
No
No
Yes If license received.
WORLD: EUROPE & CIS
Law regulating
cable television
Latvia
2
1
Telecommunication companies can
provide cable television service
Cable companies can
provide telephony
No
Yes
No
...
...
...
Lithuania
Yes
No
No
Luxembourg
Yes
Malta
Yes
No
No
Moldova
Yes
Yes
No
Monaco
Yes
No
No
Netherlands
Yes
No
Yes
Norway
Yes
Yes So far no restrictions.
Poland
Yes
Yes
Portugal
Yes
No
Romania
Yes
No
No
Liechtenstein
Yes They have to separate the
operational entities for
telecommunication and Cable TV.
Yes They have to have a
telecommunication
license.
Yes
No
Yes Voice telephony licence
required.
1
Russia
...
...
...
2
San Marino
...
...
...
Slovak Republic
Yes
No
Yes
Slovenia
Yes
Yes
No
Spain
Yes
Yes The dominant operator is subject
to a two-year moratorium on
entering cable
telecommunications.
Yes
Sweden
Yes
Yes
Yes
1
= 1999 data, 2 = pre-1999 data,
- new question in 2000
Source: ITU World Telecommunication Regulatory Database.
1
WORLD: EUROPE & CIS
Law regulating
cable television
Switzerland
Yes
Telecommunication companies can
provide cable television service
Yes Provided they comply with the
Radio and Television Act.
2
Tajikistan
1
TFYR Macedonia
Yes
Yes Only the incumbent operator has
the right to provide cable TV
according to the Law.
Turkey
Yes
Yes No restriction.
No
No
Cable companies can
provide telephony
Yes Provided they comply
with the
Telecommunications Act.
No
...
No
2
Turkmenistan
...
...
...
2
Ukraine
...
...
...
United Kingdom
Yes
Yes BT is not allowed to own or
operate cable TV services under
the terms of the DG Competition,
EU Commission’s decision of
15/9/99 relating to a procedure
under Art. 81 EC Treaty (case
IV/36.539 British Interactive
Broadcasting/open)
(1999/781/EC).
Yes
2
Uzbekistan
...
...
...
2
Vatican
...
...
...
2
Yugoslavia
...
...
...
= 1999 data, 2 = pre-1999 data,
- new question in 2000
Source: ITU World Telecommunication Regulatory Database.
1