Editing Economy of Somalia (section)

==Telecommunications and media==
[[File:Hormuud.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[Hormuud Telecom]] building in [[Mogadishu]]]]
[[Telecommunications in Somalia|Somalia's telecommunications system]] was destroyed during the fighting which took place in 1991. By 2010 various new telecommunications companies were providing this missing infrastructure. Funded by Somali entrepreneurs and backed by expertise from [[People's Republic of China]], [[Japan]], [[European Union|EU]] and  [[South Korea|Korea]]. These nascent telecommunications firms offer affordable [[mobile phone]] and internet services that are not available in many other parts of the continent. Customers can conduct [[Electronic funds transfer|money transfers]] and other [[bank]]ing activities via [[mobile phone]]s, as well as easily gain wireless internet access. However, the operations of the companies were constrained by the continuing fighting.<ref name="Telfirm">[https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704608104575220570113266984 Telecom Firms Thrive in Somalia Despite War, Shattered Economy] – ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''</ref>

In 2004, installation time for a [[landline]] was three days, while in [[Kenya]] to the south, waiting lists were many years long.<ref name="improvement">{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4020259.stm|title=Telecoms thriving in lawless Somalia|date=2004-11-19|access-date=2020-01-15|language=en-GB}}</ref> Interviewed in 2004, telecommunications firms were "desperate" to have an effective government: "everything starts with security."<ref name="improvement"/> There are presently around 25 mainlines per 1,000 persons, and the local availability of telephone lines (''tele-density'') is higher than in neighboring countries; three times greater than in adjacent [[Ethiopia]].<ref name="Somtroap"/> Prominent Somali telecommunications companies include [[Golis Telecom Somalia|Golis Telecom Group]], [[Hormuud Telecom]], [[Somafone]], [[NationLink Telecom|Nationlink]], [[Netco (Somalia)|Netco]], [[Telcom (Somalia)|Telcom]] and [[Somali Telecom Group]]. Hormuud Telecom alone grosses about $40 million a year. To dampen competitive pressures, three of these companies signed an interconnectivity deal in 2005 that allows them to set prices and expand their networks.<ref name="Telfirm"/>

A 2010 report stated that the expansion of Somalia's telecom industry provided one of the clearest signs that the country's economy was growing.<ref name="Telfirm"/>

As of 2015, there were also 20 privately owned Somali [[newspaper]]s, 10 [[radio]] and [[television]] stations, and numerous internet sites offering information to the public.<ref name="y54y4">[https://web.archive.org/web/20040914213701/http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=6451 Somalia - 2003 Annual Report ] – ''[[Reporters Without Borders]]''</ref>