Cyprus Telecommunications Authority
CYTA (short for CYprus Telecommunications Authority, pronounced SEE-ta in Cypriot) (Greek: Αρχή ΤΗλεπικοινωνιών Κύπρου ATHK acronym pronounced "ateek") is the state telephone operator of Cyprus. Due to the strategically important location of the island between Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, the company is one of the most important providers of communications infrastructure (submarine cables and satellite communications) in the region.
The Cyprus Telecommunications Authority is the leading provider of integrated telecommunications in the Republic of Cyprus .
history
The Cyprus Inland Telecommunications Authority (CITA) was originally founded in 1955 and renamed CYTA in 1961. Today, CYTA is the market leader for landline communications, cellular communications and the Internet on the island.
Cyta introduced a mobile radio service as early as 1988 , which today works under the name Cytamobile-Vodafone. In 2004, Cyta entered into a cooperation with the British Vodafone. An internet service was introduced in 1995 and DSL access is now available across the board.
Subcontractors
CYTAglobal is a wholly owned subsidiary of CYTA and offers satellite communication. The company operates its satellite network parallel to the fiberglass undersea cables from CYTA, which it offers as a "reliable hybrid solution".
Cytaglobal operates two ground stations that connect Cyprus to the main telecommunications satellite networks:
- Intelsat , the most important European communications satellite network based in Luxembourg. Voice, data transmission, Internet connection and television transmission. Satellites broadcast on C-band and Ku-band frequencies.
- Eutelsat (French company with, inter alia, Hot-Bird TV satellites).
- AsiaSat , US-Chinese operator.
- SES World Skies (spin-off from Intelsat with network across North America),
- INTERSPUTNIK , commercially oriented operator of 12 satellites with 41 transponders. Today: Lockheed Martin Intersputnik (LMI), based in London, which builds and operates the satellites of the same name.
- ARABSAT , geostationary telecommunications satellite of the Arab Satellite Communications Organization, (ARABSAT) in Riyadh . ARABSAT was founded in 1976 by the member states of the Arab League.
The 100 percent Cyta subsidiary Iris offers DVB programs via satellite.
Cooperation with intelligence services
The state telephone operator Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CYTA) is required by law to work with the British services (and thus de facto also with the American services). Great Britain had this contractually guaranteed in 1960 when Cyprus became independent. In Section 6 of the Independence Treaty, the then fledgling state committed itself to "consult and cooperate" with Great Britain when it comes to questions of domestic communication.
In practice, the communication of the submarine telecommunication cables landing in Cyprus is intercepted by the GHQC. Three cables connect Cyprus and Greece, two each to Syria and Israel. The Sea-Me-We 3 cable , one of the most important connections between Europe and Southeast Asia , also runs through Cyprus and has a land connection in Cyprus via CYTA Yeroskipos - Yeroskipos Submarine Cable Station .