Communication in Eritrea

EriTel is Eritrea's central telecommunications institution. Its published services include fixed PSTN telephone lines, fixed wireless CDMA, mobile GSM prepaid services, broadband and enterprise connections. The published mobile tariff lists voice calls at 1.50 NKF per minute from mobile to mobile, 1.80 NKF per minute from mobile to PSTN or CDMA, and 12 to 15 NKF per minute internationally. SMS costs 0.50 NKF on-net and 5 NKF internationally. These figures are time-sensitive and should be confirmed with EriTel before purchase or regular use. Nationals and expatriates can obtain a SIM card. The published fee is 550 NKF for nationals and 633 NKF for expatriates; replacement fees are 385 NKF and 488 NKF respectively. The application requires identity or passport details, address and contact information. Signing the subscription agreement creates a legally binding contract under the EriTel form. Roaming, multimedia messaging and paging depend on the agreement and should not be assumed to be available. EriTel offers VDSL, SHDSL, ADSL, point-to-point and point-to-multipoint Wi-Fi, and VSAT services in major cities and towns. A published bandwidth snapshot lists 64 kbps at 1,719.90 NKF per month and 224 kbps at 5,887.35 NKF per month, including 5% tax. Prices and coverage can change. Available data on internet use also differs: an ITU estimate reported 27% use in 2022, while Eritrea's 2024 Voluntary National Review reported national 3G and 85% mobile coverage. EriTel's public mobile page describes voice service, so mobile data and actual coverage require local verification. Internet cafés and private fixed subscriptions are common access routes. A 2023 country-of-origin report stated that café users had to identify themselves and reported slow speeds, café closures, social-media blocking and monitoring. Public reports also describe monitoring of internet and email communication. Confidentiality should therefore not be assumed for sensitive information. EPS provides Express Mail Services, Registered Mail, Parcel Delivery and tracking, including international mail and parcel exchange. Its published address record lists P.O. Box 229, Asmara. National delivery times, fees, door delivery and rural coverage are not reliably published. When digital communication fails, a voice call or SMS can be followed by registered or express mail, or by an in-person visit to the responsible institution. Keep a receipt, tracking number, call record or other proof of each contact. The Ministry of Transport and Communications and its Communication Department cover the governmental communications area. EriTel handles telecommunications and EPS handles postal services. No separate nationwide municipal communication structure is reliably documented. Eritrea has no reliably evidenced nationwide rules for greetings, forms of address or conflict etiquette; practices can vary by community and language area. Use a clear language, confirm names and instructions, and ask for written confirmation when a misunderstanding could cause a loss or missed deadline. For emergencies, published contact information lists Police 113, Fire 116 and Ambulance 122244. Confirm the numbers locally because availability can change, and give the location together with a nearby landmark. Eritrea acceded to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 6 January 2025. Its accessibility standard requires access to information and communication, including information and communication technology and emergency services, but current local provision of sign-language interpretation, Braille, Easy Read, accessible websites and accessible telephone services has not been verified.