The national network for fixed phones consists of some Panaftelmicrowave radio relay links (from Bangui to Bossembele, Baoro, Carnot, Berberati and on to Gamboula on the border with Cameroon). This microwave network has however never been used, since the equipment requires electricity for the repeaters that are located every 50km (35 miles). The current fixed-lines outside Bangui are transmitted through a DOMSAT network installed in the early 1990s as a star formation around the Bangui satellite earth station (1 Intelsat). There are about 9000 fixed-lines subscribers (2003).
GSM coverage was for a long time limited to the capital area. But in October 2005 coverage was expanded at least to Berberati in the western part of the country. There are currently two GSM-900 mobile operators, Telecel CAR and Nationlink Telecom RCA. A third network, Centrafrique Telecom Plus closed down in late 2003 after failing to attract more than 5,000 subscribers.