Telecommunications in Lithuania

This article provides an overview of telecommunications in Lithuania, including radio, television, telephones, and the Internet.

The Communications Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Lithuania (RRT) is Lithuania's independent communications-industry regulator. It was established under the Law on Telecommunications and the provisions of the European Union Directives to ensure that the industry remain competitive.[1]

Radio

Television

Telephones

Internet

Censorship

There are no government restrictions on access to the Internet or credible reports that the government monitors e-mail or Internet chat rooms without appropriate legal authority. Individuals and groups generally engage in the free expression of views via the Internet, including by e-mail, but authorities prosecute people for openly posting material on the Internet that authorities considered to be inciting hatred.[17]

The constitution provides for freedom of speech and press, and the government generally respects these rights in practice. An independent press, an effective judiciary, and a functioning democratic political system combine to promote these freedoms. However, the constitutional definition of freedom of expression does not protect certain acts, such as incitement to national, racial, religious, or social hatred, violence and discrimination, or slander, and disinformation. It is a crime to deny or "grossly trivialize" Soviet or Nazi German crimes against Lithuania or its citizens, or to deny genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes. In the first 11 months of 2012 authorities initiated investigations into 259 allegations of incitement of hatred and six of incitement of discrimination, most of them over the Internet. Authorities forwarded 69 of those allegations to the courts for trial, closed 68, and suspended 113 for lack of evidence; the others remained under investigation. Most allegations of incitement of hatred involved racist or anti-Semitic expression, or hostility based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or nationality.[17]

It is a crime to disseminate information that is both untrue and damaging to an individual’s honor and dignity. Libel is punishable by a fine or imprisonment of up to one year, or up to two years for libelous material disseminated through the mass media. While it is illegal to publish material "detrimental to minors’ bodies" or thought processes, information promoting the sexual abuse and harassment of minors, promoting sexual relations among minors, or "sexual relations", the law is not often invoked and there are no indications that it adversely affects freedom of the media.[17]

The constitution prohibits arbitrary interference in an individual’s personal correspondence or private and family life, but there were reports that the government did not respect these prohibitions in practice. The law requires authorities to obtain judicial authorization before searching an individual’s premises and prohibits the indiscriminate monitoring by government or other parties of citizens’ correspondence or communications. However, domestic human rights groups allege that the government does not properly enforce the law.[17]

Free wi-fi zones

See also

References

  1. ↑ "About RRT". Communications Regulatory Authority. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Communications", Lithuania, World Factbook, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, 6 December 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
  3. ↑ Select Formats, Country IP Blocks. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Site is said to be updated daily.
  4. ↑ Population, The World Factbook, United States Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on 2 April 2012. Note: Data are mostly for 1 July 2012.
  5. ↑ "Percentage of Individuals using the Internet 2000-2012", International Telecommunications Union (Geneva), June 2013, retrieved 22 June 2013
  6. 1 2 3 Calculated using penetration rate and population data from "Countries and Areas Ranked by Population: 2012", Population data, International Programs, U.S. Census Bureau, retrieved 26 June 2013
  7. ↑ "Fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012", Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved on 29 June 2013.
  8. ↑ "Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2012", Dynamic Report, ITU ITC EYE, International Telecommunication Union. Retrieved on 29 June 2013.
  9. ↑ "Bite Lithuania launches unlimited mobile internet plan". The Lithuania Tribune. DELFI. January 18, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Broadband Internet Zebra", TEO LT, AB. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
  11. ↑ "Household Download Index - Top Ten Countries". Ookla. 8 June 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  12. ↑ "Household Upload Index - Top Ten Countries". Ookla. 8 June 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  13. ↑ "SkyNEt interneto planai", SkyNet LT. Accessed on 16 April 2014.
  14. ↑ "Teo LT interneto planai", Teo LT. Accessed on 16 April 2014.
  15. ↑ "Cgates internet plans", Cgates LT. Accessed on 30 May 2014.
  16. ↑ "In Lithuania, Europe, Cheap Data Communications launches data roaming services using LBO", mondo3. Accessed on 10 October 2014.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "Lithuania", Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State, 22 March 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
  18. ↑ http://www.lithuania.travel/en-gb/attractions/wi-fi-zone/17151
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