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Telecommunications in Eswatini includes radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet.

Ownership and regulation

Eswatini is one of the last countries in the world to abolish an almost complete monopoly in all sectors of its telecommunications market. Until 2011, the state-owned operator, Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications (EPTC), also acted as the industry regulator and had a stake in the country's sole mobile network, in partnership with South Africa's MTN Group. In a bid to enter the mobile market independently, SPTC transferred its stake in MTN and the regulatory authority to the government. In return, Swazi MTN received a 3G licence and the right to provide its own backbone network and international gateway. However, proposals have been made to reinstate SPTC's monopoly on the national backbone and the international gateway, and MTN is challenging SPTC in the courts over its move into the mobile market.

Radio and television

  • Radio stations:
  • State-owned radio network with 3 channels, 1 private radio station (2007);
  • AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2001);
  • AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 1 (1998).
  • Radios: 155,000 (1997).
  • Television stations:
  • State-owned TV station, satellite dishes are able to access South African providers (2007);
  • Main lines in use:
  • 48,600 lines, 164th in the world (2012);
  • &nbsp;&nbsp;90,100 users, 162nd in the world (2009).
  • Wireless broadband: 166,485 subscribers, 113th in the world; 12.0% of the population, 86th in the world (2012).
  • Internet hosts: 2,744 hosts, 158th in the world (2012).
  • Internet service providers: 5 ISPs (2002), 2 ISPs (1999).

The Internet sector has been open to competition with four licensed Internet service providers (ISPs), but prices have remained high and market penetration relatively low. ADSL was introduced in 2008 and 3G mobile broadband services in 2011, but development of the sector has been hampered by the limited fixed-line infrastructure and a lack of competition in the access and backbone network.

The constitution provides for freedom of speech and press, but the king may deny these rights at his discretion, and the government does at times restrict these rights, especially regarding political issues or the royal family. The law empowers the government to ban publications if they are deemed "prejudicial or potentially prejudicial to the interests of defense, public safety, public order, public morality, or public health." Most journalists practice self-censorship. The constitution and law prohibit arbitrary interference with privacy, family, home, or correspondence except "in the interest of defense, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, town and country planning, use of mineral resources, and development of land in the public benefit"; however, the government does not always respect these prohibitions and broadly construes exceptions to the law.