General

The post office, telegraph, and telephone systems are operated by the government. The state's monopoly on postal services is confined to delivery of letters and postcards; about half of other deliveries are handled by private firms. In 1977, postal codes were introduced for addresses as part of a postal modernisation program.

As of 2005, there were 7.6 million main line telephones and 15.8 million mobile cellular phones in use. Significant improvements in the phone systems began in 2001 through the introduction of the third generation of GSM.

There are several radio networks. The Netherlands Broadcasting Foundation, a joint foundation, maintains and makes available all studios, technical equipment, record and music libraries, orchestras, and other facilities. Broadcasting to other countries is carried on by the Netherlands World Broadcasting Service, which is managed by a board of governors appointed by the minister of cultural affairs. As of 1998 there are 4 AM and 58 FM stations. There were also about 21 television stations. Shortwave programs are transmitted in Dutch, Afrikaans, Arabic, English, French, Indonesian, Portuguese and Spanish. Annual licence fees are charged to radio and television set owners. Commercial advertising was introduced in 1967-68 and limited to fixed times before and after news broadcasts.

In 2000, there were about 980 radios and 538 televisions for every 1,000 people. The same year, there were about 394 personal computers for every 1,000 people. About 33 internet service providers served about 14.6 million customers in 2006.

Overview

Telephones - main lines in use:
7.6 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
15.834 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
domestic: extensive fixed-line fibre-optic network; cellular telephone system is one of the largest in Europe with 5 major network operators utilising the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
international: country code - 31; submarine cables provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2004)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:
21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1998)

Internet country code:
.nl

Internet hosts:
11.17 million (2007)

Internet users:
14.544 million (2006)