The Bahamas Investment Authority / Telecommunications

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The Bahamas Telecommunications Corporation (BaTelCo), has more than 64,000 phones in a 100% digital, fully-automated switching system, providing Direct Distance Dialing to more than 100 countries in the United States, Canada, Europe and the Caribbean.

Bahamas Investment Authority

Establishing a Financial Institution

Banks & Trust Companies

Insurance Industry

Mutual Fund Managers

Trust Formation

Incorporation Procedures

International Business Companies (IBCs)

Shipping Registry

Export & Import Trade

Agriculture

Freeport Free Trade Zone

Manufacturing in The Bahamas

Tourism Development

Real Estate & Second Homes

Labour Standards in The Bahamas

Infrastructure

Telecommunications

Legal Firms

Telecommunications in The Bahamas

Telephone Service

In 1992, The Bahamas celebrated its 100th anniversary of telecommunications with the rest of the world. The country has achieved much since that first submarine cable connected its shores to Florida, and the services and facilities in our major cities are now equivalent to those available in North America.

This is particularly evident in Nassau, one of the world's leading international financial centres. The increasing demands of money management and computerization have lead to a close alliance between the many banks and trust companies and The Bahamas Telecommunications Corporation (BaTelCo), the national telephone company. A quasi-public corporation, created in 1966, BaTelCo is owned by the government, but receives no subsidies from it. Recently, in conjunction with the Swiss telecommunications company Swiss Telecom PTT, BaTelCo developed a digital satellite communication system between Switzerland and The Bahamas, two of the world's prominent financial centres. This is expected to reduce costs of transmitting data between the two centres by about 30%.

BaTelCo's portfolio covers telephone networks, facsimile, telex, cellular radio telephone, and private line services, packet switching, satellite leasing, and radio licensing. It has more than 64,000 phones in a 100% digital, fully-automated switching system, providing Direct Distance Dialing to more than 100 countries in the United States, Canada, Europe and the Caribbean.

Radio & Television Service

The Bahamas Broadcasting Corporation, a public corporation, provides radio (ZNS with four bands) and television services to the country. The main station, Radio Bahamas (ZNS-1), has been operating since May 1936 and has a frequency of 1540 Khz. It operates 24 hours a day and serves the entire country. The other stations, with more limited reach, are ZNS-2, ZNS-FM, and ZNS-3 (on Grand Bahama Island). In addition 100 JAMZ, MORE FM, and LOVE 97, private radio stations in New Providence Island, provide radio to limited parts of the country.

ZNS TV, which began operation in 1977, has transmitter power of 50,000 watts E.R.P. on Channel 13 and operates in full colour. Channel 13 is seen 130 miles from Nassau and operates 10 hours per day, Monday to Friday, 17 hours on Saturday, and 16 hours on Sunday. Local programmes are offered on the CATV Cable System in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, Monday to Friday from 7 pm to 11 pm.

Florida radio and TV stations are also received in The Bahamas.