Communications in Gibraltar
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- See also: Telephone numbers in Gibraltar
Communications in Gibraltar.
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[edit] Telecommunications
[edit] History
The first telephones were introduced in 1886 by a private company which was later taken over by the Government of Gibraltar and until 1990, all telephone services were operated by the Telephone Department. International circuits were provided by Cable & Wireless originally founded as the Falmouth, Gibraltar and Malta Cable Company, in 1869. This later operated as the Eastern Telegraph Company from Mount Pleasant, Gibraltar. In 1990, the Government entered into two joint ventures with Nynex of the United States, and BT in the United Kingdom. Gibraltar Nynex Communications (GNC) became responsible for fixed line telephony, and international calls to Spain, while Gibtel (partly owned by BT) became responsible for all other international calls and mobile telephone services. In 2002, BT sold its 50% stake in Gibtel, which merged with GNC to form Gibtelecom, a joint venture between the Government of Gibraltar and Nynex's successor company, Verizon. In April 2007, Verizon sold its shares to Slovenia telecom.
[edit] Telecom dispute
Telecommunication services in Gibraltar were subject to Spanish restrictions until February 10, 2007. Spain refused to recognise Gibraltar's international dialling code +350, instead treating Gibraltar as part of the Cádiz province's telephone exchange, using the code 9567. This restricted the expansion of Gibraltar's telephone numbering plan. Since the recognition of the +350 code, 9567 access from Spain has been discontinued. Similarly, subscribers in Gibraltar calling Spain must now use the international access code and country code +34 for all calls - previously the international prefix was only required for calls to mobiles. The numbering plan is being increased to eight digits for land lines, adding a prefix of 200 to the existing five digit numbers.
Gibtelecom was also prevented from having roaming agreements with Spanish GSM (Global System for Mobile communications)networks so its mobile phones did not operate in Spain. Gibtelecom had roaming arrangements with local GSM networks in most other countries. After the Córdoba Agreement, Gibtel (Gibtelecom's mobile service) could roam on Spanish network Movistar (Telefonica). As of recent customers can now roam on Vodafone and Yoigo and Orange (Amena still bars access).
[edit] Mobile technology
Mobile phone technology is constantly advancing and Gibtelecom has kept pace with developments including the advent of data access via mobile phones. The company’s GBP £1.5 million deal with Ericsson was heralded as “opening up a new era for mobile telephony in Gibraltar”. The new General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network installed by the Scandinavian company allows faster and permanent connectivity for all mobile users, as well as providing high-speed picture and video messaging for owners of the new range of multi-purpose hand-sets[1].
[edit] Infrastructure
The telecommunications infrastructure in Gibraltar is modelled on that of the UK; for example; the ringing tone of fixed telephone lines is identical to that of the UK, although that of mobile phones may resemble that of mainland Europe, with long tones. Telephone jacks are also British Standard BS 6312, as opposed to the RJ11 versions found in other parts of Europe and the world.
In the past, it was a popular cliché with travel writers that Gibraltar still had traditional red British-style telephone boxes when there were just a few original ones in service. However, new ones have recently been imported which along with policemen with helmets, seem popular with tourists.
Telephones - Numbers in use: 25,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 15,000 (2006)[1]
[edit] Telephone system
In the 1980s there was a shortage of local line capacity on the existing crossbar exchange, which itself had replaced the relay and Strowger exchanges and a modern digital System/X switch was installed.
Cable and Wireless, who provided international circuits installed a satellite earth station which made International Subscriber Dialling possible.
When the frontier with Spain was re-opened, telephone and telex circuits cut by General Franco were re-established.
Subsequently fibre links into the FLAG cable were established and along with microwave links to Morocco giving Gibraltar a resilient communications infrastructure.
[edit] Broadcasting
[edit] Television
The Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) operates Radio Gibraltar on both FM and AM, broadcasting a mix of local programming in English and Spanish, and retransmissions of the BBC World Service. In December 2005, GBC started internet streaming of its radio service which, along with an up-to-date programme guide for GBC television and radio, can be found on the website.
GBC TV is transmitted on VHF Channel 12 with UHF repeaters on 56 and 53. Until 1999, GBC TV retransmitted BBC Prime, but was relaunched as a community-based service focusing on local news and other items of local interest. GBC programming starts at around 19:30 and finishes before midnight with the most popular programme being the local news bulletin, News Watch at 20:30. During the day fillers and the sound of GBC radio are transmitted.
GBC was funded by a mix of advertising, government funding, and an annual television licence fee. In June 2006, the licence was abolished by the Government.
The majority of homes also have access to satellite television with mostly United Kingdom channels. Gibraltar also receives Spanish national television and radio stations, as well as Spanish regional (from Andalusia) and local stations (from the Campo de Gibraltar area).
Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (2002)
Television Licences: 7,452 (2002)
[edit] Radio
The British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) operates two radio stations on FM, BFBS1 and BFBS2 and a private cable television network. BFBS1 and 2 are also available on the Internet streamed from the UK.
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0, Internet 1 (2005)
Radios: 37,000 (1997) - Radio licences now discontinued
[edit] Amateur Radio
Amateur Radio started in Gibraltar shortly after the Second World War. The Gibraltar Amateur Radio Society (GARS) is a small but active society representing the interests of Amateur Radio both locally and internationally as a full International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) member society.
[edit] Internet
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GibNet Ltd., a private company, began internet services in 1995, with a 64kbs circuit to Spain. In 2005 it merged with Broadband Gibraltar Limited to form Sapphire Networks. Sapphire have their own fibre and microwave infastructure into and around Gibraltar.
Sapphire uses Gibtelecom's ADSL concentrator to reach customers that are outside their own network, and sells high Internet bandwidth services and international virtual private circuits, competing directly with Gibtelecom.
GNC Networks, a wholly owned subsidiary of Gibraltar Nynex Communications, commenced services in 1997. GNC Networks was renamed Gibconnect by Gibtelecom in 2002. ADSL services were introduced in 2002, by 2005, there were several thousand users.
A Wi-Fi operator, Yachtconnect provides a prepaid or subscription wireless internet service around the marinas.
In 2008, CTS Gibraltar Limited launched a WiMax service competing against the established ADSL providers.
Provision for Local Loop Unbundling was introduced in Gibraltar, under the 2006 Communications Act, similar to the UK's 2003 Communications Act. Earlier in December 2005, the European Commission initiated the second stage of infringement proceedings against the British Government relating to Gibraltar’s failure to transpose five European Union directives on electronic communications, but these were closed after the relevant legislation was passed into law by the House of Assembly in June 2006[2].
Country code (Top-level domain): .gi
Calling code: +350
GSM Network Identifier : GIBTEL
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3
[edit] Printed media
[edit] Newspapers
The largest and most frequently published newspaper is the Gibraltar Chronicle, Gibraltar’s oldest established daily newspaper and the world’s second oldest English language newspaper to have been in print continuously[3] with daily editions six days a week. Panorama is published on weekdays, and Vox, 7 Days, The New People, and Gibsport are weekly. Other newspapers such as the weekly El Faro de Gibraltar, are published in Spanish.
[edit] Magazines
Gibraltar has two prominent monthly magazines; Insight and the Gibraltar Magazine.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Gibwireless
- ^ EC Pressures UK Over Gibraltar's Failure To Transpose Telecom Laws
- ^ Gibraltar: Fact File. Birmingham UK International Directory - Gibraltar. Retrieved on 2007-08-31.
[edit] External links
- Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (Internet-streamed radio)
- BFBS Radio in Gibraltar
- Gibraltar Regulatory Authority
- Gibtelecom
- Sapphire Networks
- Amateur Radio in Gibraltar
[edit] See also
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