Telecommunications in Israel

Telecommunications is one of the most important industries in this small country with 7.7 million population. Its technological level can be measured by the percentage of homes using broadband access to the Internet - ca. 70%, securing the fourth position in the world - after South Korea, Hong Kong and Iceland.
Mobile telephony is also included in the top rankings - already in 2006 there were more mobile phones than the number of inhabitants (by 7%).
97% of the residents can potentially use cable TV (52% of households subscribe it).
Israel belongs to the small group of countries having own satellites. The first satellite has been successfully launched on the orbit in 1996, and together with the second one - AMOS-2, is mainly used for direct TV transmissions. About 22% households subscribe digital satellite platform "Yes" from AMOS.
Other satellites, Gurwin-II TechSAT and EROS, are used for communication, cartography, and other research purposes.
Great potential of high-tech industries in Israel has attracted international corporations - the first overseas R&D divisions of such giants like IBM, Motorola, Cisco, or Deutsche Telekom were opened just in this country.
Among the companies listed on the NASDAQ stock market, Israeli firms are the second most numerous group (after Americans). They include so well known firms like Alvarion, Gilat Satellite Networks, Radware, RAD Data, Tadiran, Teledata, Telrad, VocalTec, Verint.
People
Jews make up about 76% of population. The remaining part: Arabs (ca. 20%), Druids (ca. 4%), and few other small minorities. (Photo by P. Kulawinski)
Landscapes
The Jordan River flowing through the Great Rift Valley into the Dead Sea.
The legendary tree Zacchaeus climbed to see Jesus (Jericho - Palestinian Autonomy)
Masada - the site of ancient palaces and fortifications in the South District of Israel
Religion
Will religions be only different forms of expression of the same truth - some time? Graffiti on the wall separating Israel from the West Bank.
The most sacred places for Islam - Dome of the Rock, Judaism - Wailing/Western Wall, Christianity - Church of the Holy Sepulcher are situated in Jerusalem.
Telecommunications
The roofs of Jerusalem - full of satellite dishes. Many people receive programs from three satellites.
Israeli companies are the world leaders in wireless technology
Already in 2006 there were more mobile phones than the number of inhabitants
Start of terrestrial digital TV (MPEG-4) is planned for the midyear of 2008.
52% of households subscribe cable TV. In the old part of Jerusalem the installations are rather untypical - care for the monuments?
People, religions, landscapes ... for many visitors the Middle East and Israel is also associated with aromatic spices, halva, figs, dates...