Communications in Greece
Encyclopedia
The telecommunications and postal services market in Greece is regulated by the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT).
, the former state monopoly, is the main player in fixed-line telephony. Since the liberalization of the telecommunications market, OTE has been slowly losing market share to "alternative", competing telecom operators, such as Vivodi, Q-Telecom
, Tellas and Forthnet
. As of 2005, OTE's share on the market hovered around 76%.
Telephone
s - main lines in use: 6,348,800 (2004).
Telephone system:
, Vodafone
and WIND.
Number of active lines: 20.285.000 (September 2009), which means 180% penetration.
, which provides telecommunication services in a major part of Eastern Europe and Western Asia.
s (ISPs): 23 (1999). Internet penetration: 50% (end of 2010). 2.252.653 broadband connections, as of early 2011.
Country code
(Top-level domain): .gr
broadcast
stations:
The state radio
and television
broadcasting
agency is ERT
(Elliniki Radiofonia kai Tileorasi - Greek Radio & Television). The station owns 3 national television stations, ET-1, NET
(Nea Elliniki Tileorasi) and ET-3 which is based out of Thessaloniki
. In January 2006, ERT launched Digital Terrestrial Television
with 3 channels. By March 2006, at least 65% of the Greek population will be able to view Digital TV for free with the use of set-top boxes. ERT also operates 7 national radio stations, including ERA 5, the Voice of Greece
, which broadcasts internationally via shortwave. ERT is based in Athens.
The first non-pirate private radio station to broadcast in Greece was Athena 98.4 FM
, in 1987. Private television began in November, 1989 when Mega Channel
began operating. Today, over 1,000 radio stations and approximately 150 television stations broadcast in Greece. Digital satellite broadcasting began in 1999 by the South-African conglomerate Naspers
which uses the trademark Nova.
The Broadcasting Media in Greece is considerably free and fair. Established state-run and commercial TV networks broadcast nationally and compete actively against each other, and hundreds of thousands of viewers subscribe to satellite pay-TV services.Domestically-made variety programmes, comedies and game shows dominate the peak-time TV schedules and are highly popular and widely shown in Greece.
Private: Mega Channel
, Alpha TV
, ANT1
, Star Channel
, Alter Channel
and Skai TV
.
Radios: 5.02 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 64 (plus about 1,000 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed Forces Network (1999)
Televisions: 2.54 million (1997)
Mail
ELTA is the state-owned postal service provider of Greece. A number of private courier services, such as ACS, United Parcel Service
and FedEx
(Speedex), also operate in Greece.
Landline telephone
OTEOTE
Hellenic Telecommunications Organization S.A. , usually known by its Greek initials OTE, is the dominant telecommunications provider in Greece. Formerly a state-owned monopoly, OTE was part-privatized in 1998 and is now listed on the Athens and New York Stock Exchanges...
, the former state monopoly, is the main player in fixed-line telephony. Since the liberalization of the telecommunications market, OTE has been slowly losing market share to "alternative", competing telecom operators, such as Vivodi, Q-Telecom
Q-Telecom
Q-Telecom was the fourth mobile telephony provider in Greece. It began operation in June 2002.As of 2008, it called itself "Q" and called its services "MyQ."The company provided GSM phone service, supported by LMDS and backbone networks, and...
, Tellas and Forthnet
Forthnet
Forthnet S.A. is a Greek Internet Service Provider established in October 1995 by Minoan Lines SA and theFoundation for Research & Technology - Hellas , also known as FORTH....
. As of 2005, OTE's share on the market hovered around 76%.
Telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
s - main lines in use: 6,348,800 (2004).
Telephone system:
- modern networks reach all areas; microwave radio relay carries most traffic; 20.000 kilometers of fiber optics and extensive open-wire network; submarine cables to off-shore islands
- domestic: 100% digital; microwave radio relay, open wire, and submarine cable
- international: 100% digital; tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satelliteSatelliteIn the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
earth stations - 2 IntelsatIntelsatIntelsat, Ltd. is a communications satellite services provider.Originally formed as International Telecommunications Satellite Organization , it was—from 1964 to 2001—an intergovernmental consortium owning and managing a constellation of communications satellites providing international broadcast...
(1 Atlantic OceanAtlantic OceanThe Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and 1 Indian OceanIndian OceanThe Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
), 1 EutelsatEutelsatEutelsat S.A. is a French-based satellite provider. Providing coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, it is one of the world's three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues.Eutelsat’s satellites...
, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
Cellular network
Greece has three mobile telecom companies; CosmoteCosmote
COSMOTE is the largest mobile network operator in Greece, with 7.9 million subscribers. The company is headquartered in Athens and it is a fully owned subsidiary of the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization , the incumbent telecommunications provider in Greece...
, Vodafone
Vodafone Greece
Vodafone Greece is the Greek subsidiary of Vodafone. Its headquarters are in Halandri - one of the northern suburbs of Athens.Vodafone Greece was established in Greece in 1992 – under the trade name Panafon – with the participation of Vodafone Group Plc., France Telecom, Intracom and Data Bank, and...
and WIND.
Number of active lines: 20.285.000 (September 2009), which means 180% penetration.
Satellite
Greece owns one Telecommunications Satellite, named Hellas-satHellas-Sat
Hellas-Sat Consortium Limited is the owner and a wholesaler of capacity and services of the Greek/Cypriot "Hellas-Sat-2" satellite, an Astrium Eurostar E2000+, which was launched successfully on 13 May, 2003 to the 39° E orbital position in the Geostationary Satellite Orbit.Hellas-Sat has...
, which provides telecommunication services in a major part of Eastern Europe and Western Asia.
Internet
Internet Service ProviderInternet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
s (ISPs): 23 (1999). Internet penetration: 50% (end of 2010). 2.252.653 broadband connections, as of early 2011.
Country code
Country code
Country codes are short alphabetic or numeric geographical codes developed to represent countries and dependent areas, for use in data processing and communications. Several different systems have been developed to do this. The best known of these is ISO 3166-1...
(Top-level domain): .gr
Mass media
RadioRadio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
broadcast
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
stations:
The state radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
agency is ERT
Elliniki Radiofonia Tileorasi
The Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation is the Greek state-owned public radio and television broadcasting corporation. It is a member of EBU.Since 70's ERT is part of the Eurovision Song Contest, organized by EBU...
(Elliniki Radiofonia kai Tileorasi - Greek Radio & Television). The station owns 3 national television stations, ET-1, NET
New Hellenic Television
New Hellenic Television , branded as NET, is the second television network of the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation , the public broadcaster of Greece. It is mainly a news and information channel that broadcasts daily newscasts with national and international news, documentaries, talkshows, current...
(Nea Elliniki Tileorasi) and ET-3 which is based out of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
. In January 2006, ERT launched Digital Terrestrial Television
Digital terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television is the technological evolution of broadcast television and advance from analog television, which broadcasts land-based signals...
with 3 channels. By March 2006, at least 65% of the Greek population will be able to view Digital TV for free with the use of set-top boxes. ERT also operates 7 national radio stations, including ERA 5, the Voice of Greece
Voice of Greece
The Voice of Greece , also known as ERA 5, is the international service of Greek state radio on shortwave and via satellite.-History:The first state radio of Greece the "Athens Radio" was inaugurated in spring 1938 with a 15 kW transmitter at Liosia suburb and studios of the Zappeion Mansion.The...
, which broadcasts internationally via shortwave. ERT is based in Athens.
The first non-pirate private radio station to broadcast in Greece was Athena 98.4 FM
Athena 98.4 FM
Athena 98.4 FM is the first private radio station to begin broadcasting legally in Greece. Its first broadcast was on May 31, 1987, and the station was launched by former Athens mayor Miltiadis Evert. The station initially faced many challenges as a legal framework for private broadcasting was...
, in 1987. Private television began in November, 1989 when Mega Channel
Mega Channel
Mega Channel, also known as Mega TV or just Mega, is a major television network in Greece. Teletypos S.A. was founded in 1989 under the name Teletypos Television Programmes S.A...
began operating. Today, over 1,000 radio stations and approximately 150 television stations broadcast in Greece. Digital satellite broadcasting began in 1999 by the South-African conglomerate Naspers
Naspers
Naspers is a South Africa-based multinational media company with principal operations in electronic media and print media Naspers is a South Africa-based multinational media company with principal operations in electronic media (including pay-television, internet and instant-messaging subscriber...
which uses the trademark Nova.
The Broadcasting Media in Greece is considerably free and fair. Established state-run and commercial TV networks broadcast nationally and compete actively against each other, and hundreds of thousands of viewers subscribe to satellite pay-TV services.Domestically-made variety programmes, comedies and game shows dominate the peak-time TV schedules and are highly popular and widely shown in Greece.
Main television stations in Greece
Public: ET1, NET, ET3 (Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation).Private: Mega Channel
Mega Channel
Mega Channel, also known as Mega TV or just Mega, is a major television network in Greece. Teletypos S.A. was founded in 1989 under the name Teletypos Television Programmes S.A...
, Alpha TV
Alpha TV
Alpha TV is a Greek terrestrial channel . The station features a mix of Greek and foreign shows with an emphasis on entertainment programs. The studios are located near Athens...
, ANT1
ANT1
Antenna, better known as ANT1, is a television network airing in Greece and Cyprus. The alternate spelling is play on words in Greek; ena is the Greek number 1, thus ANT1 is pronounced the same as Antenna . It launched on 31 December 1989, the same year as rival Mega Channel, and is owned by...
, Star Channel
Star Channel
Star Channel is a Greek television network that broadcasts a mix of foreign and Greek programming. It launched in December 1993 and is owned by Nea Tileorasi A.E.. The main news bulletin is called Star Eidiseis, which is currently hosted by Aimilios Liatsos...
, Alter Channel
Alter Channel
Alter Channel better known as Alter, is a private TV network in Greece. It launched in 1994 and is owned by Eleftheri Tileorasi S.A, which is headed by Andreas Kouris. Programming mainly consists of news & current affairs shows and entertainment programmes...
and Skai TV
Skai TV
Skai TV is a Greek TV station, based in Pireus, Athens. It is part of the Skai Group one of the largest media groups in Greece. It was relaunched in its present form on April 1, 2006 in Athens and gradually managed to spread its coverage nationwide. Besides analog over-the-air transmission, it is...
.
Radios: 5.02 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 64 (plus about 1,000 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed Forces Network (1999)
Televisions: 2.54 million (1997)
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
and FedEx
FedEx
FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
(Speedex), also operate in Greece.
See also
- GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
- OTEOTEHellenic Telecommunications Organization S.A. , usually known by its Greek initials OTE, is the dominant telecommunications provider in Greece. Formerly a state-owned monopoly, OTE was part-privatized in 1998 and is now listed on the Athens and New York Stock Exchanges...
- EETTEETTThe Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission or EETT is the Greek national regulatory authority for of the telecommunication and postal markets....