Europe
General
The Italian communications system is supervised or owned by the government. In 2005, there were 25 million mainline telephones in use and 71.5 million mobile cellular phones.
Post offices and telegraph offices also are operated by the government. Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI), a government corporation, broadcasts on three radio and three television networks. Until 1976, RAI had a broadcasting monopoly, but since then, numerous private radio and television stations have begun operating. Advertising appears on RAI television, two of the three RAI radio networks, and on many private stations.
As of 1998, there were 100 AM and 4,600 FM radio stations. There were 358 television stations with 4,728 repeaters in 1995. In 2000, there were 878 radios and 494 television sets per 1,000 people. The same year, there were about 180 personal computers in use for every 1,000 people, with 93 internet service providers serving about 19 million users in 2001.
Overview
| Telephones - main lines in use | 25.049 million (2005) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 71.5 million (2005) |
| Telephone system | general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automated telephone, telex, and data services domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks international: country code - 39; a series of submarine cables provide links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and US; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998) |
| Television broadcast stations | 358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995) |
| Internet country code | .it |
| Internet hosts | 4.117 million (2007) |
| Internet users | 28.855 million (2006) |