Editing Telecommunications in Poland (section)

==Telephony==
{{See also |Telephone numbers in Poland}}
* [[Calling code]]: +48<ref name=CIAWFB-Poland-2014/>
* [[List of international call prefixes|International call prefix]]: 00<ref>[http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-t/opb/sp/T-SP-E.164C-2011-PDF-E.pdf ''Dialing Procedures (International Prefix, National (Trunk) Prefix and National (Significant) Number) (in Accordance with ITY-T Recommendation E.164 (11/2010))''], Annex to ITU Operational Bulletin No. 994-15.XII.2011, International Telecommunication Union (ITU, Geneva), 15 December 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2014.</ref>
* Main lines: 
** 5.3 million lines in use (2022);<ref name="CIAWFB-Poland-2014" />
** 6.1 million lines in use (2012);<ref name="CIAWFB-Poland-2014" />
** 10.3 million lines in use (2007).
* Mobile cellular: 
** 53.05 million lines (2024)<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-02-23 |title=Digital 2024: Poland |url=https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-poland |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=DataReportal – Global Digital Insights |language=en-GB}}</ref>
** 50.6 million lines (2021);<ref name="CIAWFB-Poland-2014" />
** 50.8 million lines (2012);<ref name="CIAWFB-Poland-2014" />
** 45.0 million lines (2009).
* Telephone system: modernization of the telecommunications network has accelerated with market-based competition; fixed-line service, dominated by the former state-owned company, is dwarfed by the growth in mobile-cellular services; mobile-cellular service available since 1993 and provided by three nationwide networks with a fourth provider beginning operations in late 2006; coverage is generally good with some gaps in the east; fixed-line service lags in rural areas; international direct dialing with automated exchanges (2011).<ref name=CIAWFB-Poland-2014/> 
* [[Communications satellite|Satellite earth stations]]: 1 with access to [[Intelsat]], [[Eutelsat]], [[Inmarsat]], and [[Intersputnik]] (2011).<ref name=CIAWFB-Poland-2014/>

The market for fixed-line telephony services and infrastructure was monopolized by the state until 1990. The state monopoly was implemented by the [[Polish Post, Telegraph and Telephone|PPTiT]] which was subordinated to the Ministry of Communications. The telephony segments of that entity were spun-off and incorporated into [[Telekomunikacja Polska]], which was later privatized and sold to Orange Polska. The Telecommunications Act of 1990 allowed the provision of telecommunication infrastructure and services by the former monopoly. After 2000, other operators were allowed to use TP's telecommunications infrastructure under Third-party Access.

From the communist era Poland inherited an underdeveloped and outmoded system of telephones, with some areas (e.g. in the extreme South East) being served by manual exchanges. In December 2005 the last analog exchange was shut down. All telephone lines are now served by modern fully computerized exchanges (Siemens [[EWSD]], Alcatel S12, Lucent [[5ESS]], Alcatel E10). The former state owned telephone monopoly ([[Orange Polska|TPSA]]) has been mostly privatized, with France Telecom buying the largest share. Various other companies have entered the fixed phone market, but generally aiming for niches (e.g. Sferia with fixed wireless, [[Netia]] covering primarily business). Whilst prices have reduced and availability has increased considerably since the introduction of competition, there is little sign of TPSA's market share being seriously reduced.{{citation needed |date=February 2014}}

There are three competing networks with similar market share, [[T-Mobile (Poland)|T-Mobile]] (T-Mobile and Heyah brands), [[Orange Polska]] (Orange and nju brands) and [[Plus (telecommunications Poland)|Plus]] (Plus and plush brands). The fourth network, [[Play (telecommunications)|Play]], started offering [[UMTS]] network services in early 2007. 

As of 2022, all mobile operators run nationwide [[LTE (telecommunication)|LTE]] . Play, Plus, and Orange have nationwide [[UMTS]] coverage. Plus also offers full  [[5G]] coverage in most cities on 2.6 GHz <ref>{{Cite web |title=GSM Alliance Coverage Map |url=https://www.gsma.com/coverage/#389 |access-date=2022-03-23}}</ref>

The auction for the 5G network in the n78 band has been ended and the commercial launch of the network is expected at the end of 2023<ref>{{cite web |title=Poland completes 3.6 GHz auction – 5G Observatory |url=https://5gobservatory.eu/poland-completes-3-6-ghz-auction/ |date=25 October 2023}}</ref>