Present state and future plans of telecommunications in central and eastern Europe

The current state and the development strategies of telecommunications in the central and eastern European countries of Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, and Romania are reviewed. Telephone systems are predominantly analog, with a low (10.8%) main line penetration ratio and several year long waiting time. Advanced telecom services are scarcely established. However, the significance of telecommunications is recognized, and intensive development and modernization plans have been formed and the legislative environment is changing accordingly. They focus on the basic network infrastructure and fixed telephone service, but mobile telephony is also required for the rapid satisfaction of business needs. The desire to join Europe accelerated the pace of digitalization and the restructuring of the telecommunication sector, as well as the establishment of international cooperation to harmonize the expansion of international links. Country-specific characteristics are given.< >