Telephones: 710,848 (1997)

Telephone system: Lattelekom is 51% state owned, plans to privatize in 2000 to satisfy EU concerns; 50,000 people are on the waiting list to receive telephone service; Internet service is available throughout Latvia
domestic: local—two cellular service providers; NMT-450 and GSM standards provide service nationwide; over 75% of population covered; intercity—two synchronous digital hierarchy fiber-optic rings form the national backbone; 11 digital switching centers, 3 service centers
international: Latvia has international fiber-optic connectivity to Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, and an undersea fiber-optic cable to Sweden

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA; note—there are 25 stations of unknown type; 75% of commercial broadcasts must be in the Latvian language; remainder mostly in Russian and European languages

Radios: 1.4 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 30 (origin of TV broadcasts must be 40% Latvian and 40% other European languages)

Televisions: NA; note—almost 100% of the population have TV access, 16% have VCRs, and 20% have cable or satellite dishes (1995)