GSM1800 networks: Orange roaming agreements also indicated

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GSM-1800 Networks: (a.k.a. PCN and formerly known as DCS 1800)

Networks shown inbold and with a light yellow background are available to Orange customers when roaming
This page shows a list of planned and operational GSM 1800 networks worldwide and also GSM 1800 networks available to Orange users.
In addition to the available networks it *may* be possible for Orange users to access test (or new) networks.

COUNTRY	OPERATOR	SERVICE	START DATE	CODE (note)	COMMENTS
Australia	Telstra	?	Jan 99	AU01	Adding GSM1800 spectrum to existing GSM900 network. Limited coverage in Sydney.
Australia	Cable & Wireless Optus	?	?	AU02	Adding GSM1800 spectrum to existing GSM900 network.
Australia	Vodafone	Vodafone	?	AU03	Adding GSM1800 spectrum to existing GSM900 network.
Australia	one.tel	?	?	AU08	Building Australia's 4th GSM network, trials during 1999 in Sydney with commercial launch in Jan 2000 in Sydney and Brisbane.
Australia	?	?	2000	?	2 more GSM1800 licences to be auctioned in early 2000
Austria	Connect Austria (17% Orange)	One	28.7.98	A05	80% population coverage by end of October 98. 95% population coverage by 2001
Austria	Mannesmann	tele.ring	H1, 2000	?	Second nationwide GSM1800 network, plans to integrate with fixed line network
Austria	Mobilkom	A1	1.1.99	A01	GSM1800 to be added in Vienna to existing GSM900 network for extra capacity
Austria	max.mobil	?	?	A03	GSM1800 to be added in Vienna and Rhine Valley to existing GSM900 network for extra capacity
Belgium	KPN Orange	?	1.4.99	BE20	Initial coverage in Anvers-Gand-Brussels. Rollout to be completed during 2000.
Bulgaria	?	?	?	?	Possibility of licences to be tendered.
Cambodia	Cambodia Shinawatra Co. Ltd.	?	April 1998	?	-
China	China Telecom	?	1997	CN00	Operates a nationwide GSM900 service with supplementary GSM1800 coverage in key cities and provinces inc. Shanghai, Guangdong, Heilongjiang, Jiangsu & Fujian.
China	China Unicom	?	1998	CN01	Roaming planned during 1999
Cyprus	CYTA	CYTA	1998	CY01	Will add some GSM1800 coverage to their existing GSM900 network
The Czech Republic	Cesky Mobil (TIW)	?	Jan. 2000	CZ?	Soft launch taken place with 42% coverage. March 1st is the aunch date, with 80% coverage by July 1st.
The Czech Republic	Eurotel	?	22.5.98	CZ02	Testing GSM1800 as an addition to existing GSM900 network. May be accessible from Orange. Launching commercial GSM1800 coverage from July 2000.
The Czech Republic	Radiomobil	?	?	CZ01	Launching commercial GSM1800 coverage from July 2000.
Denmark	Mobilix	?	1.12.97	DK30	Covers over 65% of the population
Denmark	Telia	?	Jan 1998	DK20	Coverage in main cities
Denmark	Sonofon	?	1998	DK02	No information - reports welcome!
Denmark	Tele Danmark	TDK Mobil	1997	DK01	Coverage in Copenhagen and 3 other major cities
Estonia	EMT	?	20.3.98	EE01	GSM1800 covearge added to GSM900 network initially covering Tallinn.
Finland	Sonera (was Telecom Finland)	?	1997	SF91	Coverage now in Helsinki, Turku, Salo and Oulu. GSM1800 added to existing GSM900 network. Coverage in 20 major cities by end 98.
Finland	Telia Finland	?	3/98	SF03	GSM1800 coverage in 5 cities including Helsinki, Turku, Tampere and Lahti
Finland	Radiolinja	?	1997	SF05	GSM1800 added to existing GSM900 network
Finland	Finnet	?	1997	SF09	Consortium of 45 private local telco's operating GSM1800 local networks.
France	Bouyges Telecom	Bouygtel	11/95	F20	Now covering 96% of the population
France	France Telecom Mobiles	Itineris	1997	F02	In Paris and Toulouse only.
Georgia	Magti	?	Jan. 2000	282-02	-
Germany	E-Plus Mobilfunk	E-Plus	5/95	D03	98% population coverage and complete coverage on Berlin Underground
Germany	Viag Interkom	CityPartner	1.10.98	D07	78% population coverage
Germany	Mannesmann	D2 Privat	March 2000	D02	Adding GSM1800 to existing GSM900 network, initially in Dusseldorf.
Germany	Deutsche Telekom	Telekom D1	Jan. 2000	D01	Adding GSM1800 to existing GSM900 network, initially in Berlin, Dresden and Hannover
Greece	Cosmote	?	1/4/98	GR01	Good nationwide coverage
Hong Kong	Hutchison Telecom	Hutchison PCS	March 1997	HK04	Part of Orange's parent company. Dualband network.
Hong Kong	Mandarin Communications Ltd	Sunday	mid 1997	HK16	-
Hong Kong	New World PCS	?	December 1997	HK10	Phones display "PCS009"
Hong Kong	Peoples Telephone Company	?	Jan 1997	HK12	-
Hong Kong	P Plus Communications	?	mid 1997	HK22	-
Hong Kong	Hong Kong Telecom	HKTCSL	mid 1997	HK00	Dualband network.
Hungary	Primatel	Vodafone	30.11.99	216-70	Dualband network. Primatel is a 50.1% owned subsidiary of Vodafone AirTouch Plc. Other partners include RWE Telliance, Antenna Hungaria and the Hungarian Post Office.
Iceland	Landssiminn	?	1998	IS01	Reyjavik has GSM1800 coverage in addition to existing GSM900 network.
Ireland	Eircell	Eircell	1.1.2000	IE01	reasonable quality GSM1800 now in Dublin
Ireland	ESAT	Digifone	1.1.2000	IE02	some GSM1800 now in Dublin
Ireland	3rd network	?	2001?	?	Combined GSM900/1800 network licence, will launch with 1/3 of the population covered.
Italy	Wind (ENEL, France Tekecom, Deutsche Telekom)	Wind	1.3.99	IT88	Plan to combine fixed and mobile services and will use GSM1800 for towns and GSM900 for rural areas.
Italy	Telecom Italia Mobile	TIM	Nov 98	IT01	GSM1800 coverage in main cities
Italy	Omnitel Pronto Italia	Omnitel	1.1.99	IT10	GSM1800 coverage in main cities
Italy	Blutel	?	May 2000	IT98	Shareholders: Autostrade, BT, Mediaset, Benetton, Distacom, Banca Nazionale de Lavoro, the Caltagirone Group and ENI.
Kuwait	Wataniya Telecom	?	Dec. 1999	419-??
Kuwait	MTCNet	?	Sep. 1999	419-02	Added GSM1800 to existing GSM900 network
Latvia	LMT GSM	LV1800	1999	247-01	Live
Lithuania	Bite GSM	Bite	Autumn 98	LT02	GSM1800 coverage added to existing GSM900 network in Vilnius.
Lithuania	Levicom	-	-	LT	GSM1800 coverage added to existing GSM900 network
Lithuania	Omnitel	-	-	LT01	GSM1800 coverage added to existing GSM900 network
Luxembourg	Millicom Luxembourg	Tango	by May 1998	L77	Dual-band network
Luxembourg	Lux GSM	Lux GSM	?	L01	GSM1800 frequencies will be added to the existing GSM900 network at some point
Macau	Companhia de Telecommunicacoes de Macau	MAC-CTGSM	30.11.1999	455-01	GSM1800 frequencies will be added to the existing GSM900 network
Malaysia	TIME Wireless	ADAM	7/95	MY17	-
Malaysia	Telekom Cellular	TMTouch	1995	MY13	Most major towns of Malaysia now covered.
Malaysia	Mutiara	DiGi 1800	5/95	MY16	Most major towns of Malaysia now covered, including North/South Expressway.
Netherlands	Telfort	?	30.9.98	NL12	Initial coverage in main cities. Target of 99% population coverage during 1999.
Netherlands	Dutchtone	?	28.2.99	NL20	Coverage in de Randstad
Netherlands	Ben Nederland	?	4.2.99	NL16	Coverage in de Randstad
Norway	Telenor	?	3Q 97	N01	GSM1800 frequencies added to existing GSM900. Coverage in Oslo, Stavanger, Bergen, Trondheim
Norway	Netcom	?	6/96	N02	Test dual-band network in Oslo
Norway	Telia Norway	?	1999	N?	National network required by licence terms, but plans now put on hold.
Phillipines	SMART	?	1999	PH03	Building a nationwide dualband network with GSM1800 coverage in the metropolitan area of Manila
Poland	Centertel	Idea	March 1998	PL03	Good national coverage in main towns, cities and roads.
Portugal	Telecel	?	June 1998	PT01	Added some GSM1800 coverage in cities to existing GSM900 network, now confirmed as working in parts of Lisbon.
Portugal	TMN	?	1998	PT06	Lisboa, Porto, Braga, Coimbra, Madeira Island
Portugal	Main Road	Optimus	20.8.98	PT03	Dualband GSM900 & GSM1800 network (GSM1800 mainly just cities)
Russia	KB Impuls	BeeLine GSM	20.5.97	RUS99	Initially Moscow then expanding through the country.
Singapore	Singapore Telecom Mobile Link	?	12/95	SGP02	-
Slovakia	EuroTel Bratislava	ET-SK	1.11.99	SK02	Adding GSM 1800 to existing GSM 900 in the capital Bratislawa
South Africa	?	?	2000	?	Licenc to be awarded in 1999
Spain	Retevision Movil	Amena	January 99	ES03	Initial coverage in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Zaragoza and Bilbao. Service coverage is expected to reach 95% of the territory by December year 2000.
Spain	Telefonica Moviles	Movistar	January 99	ES07	Adding GSM1800 coverage to existing GSM900 network in key cities
Spain	Airtel	?	early 1999	ES01	Adding GSM1800 coverage to existing GSM900 network in key cities
Sweden	Telia	?	end 1996	S01	Solid coverage in Stockholm, Gaevle, Vaesteras, Linkoeping, Uppsala, Gothenburg
Sweden	Telenordia	?	1999	?	Joint venture between BT, TeleDanmark and Telenor
Sweden	Comviq	IQ	1997	S07	-
Sweden	Europolitan PCN	?	1997	S08	Patchy coverage in Stockholm
Switzerland	Swisscom	Natel City	10/95	CH01	Bern, Geneva, Basle & Zurich only.
Switzerland	Orange	?	29.6.99	CH03	Initially GSM1800 network, adding GSM900 coverage during year 2000.
Switzerland	DiAx	?	24.12.98	CH02	Dualband GSM900/1800 network
Taiwan	Pacific Communication Services	?	4Q 1997	TW97	Nationwide coverage planned
Taiwan	Chunghwa Telecom	?	26.10.98	TW92	Nationwide coverage on GSM900 & GSM1800 network
Taiwan	Far EastOne	?	1997	TW01	Nationwide coverage planned
Taiwan	Tuntex	?	4Q 1997	TW06	South & Central regional networks (Seamless roaming with KG network)
Taiwan	KG Telecom	?	4Q 1997	TW88	Northern region network (Seamless roaming with Tuntex network)
Thailand	TAC	WorldPhone 1800	5/94	TH18	-
Thailand	Digital Phone Company	?	May 1998	TH23	Initially covering Bangkok, with plans for rest of country.
Turkey	?	?	1999	?	4 Licences will be auctioned in 1999
Ukraine	GTS/Barings	Golden Telecom	1997	255 05	Kiev and Borispol Airport only.
U.K.	Telecom Securicor Cellular Radio Ltd	BTCellnet	1999	UK10	GSM 1800 fill-in coverage in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow & Bristol
U.K.	Mercury Personal Communications	One2One	9/93	UK30	95% U.K. coverage
U.K.	Orange	Orange	28/4/94	UK33	98% UK coverage

Network Codes:

Ideally all phones will be programmed with the names and codes of roaming networks so that when you roam in Germany, for example, your phone will show E-Plus on the display. Because of the young GSM1800 networks most early phones will not be programmed with the network name. The full code for eplus would be 262-03 but many phones store a list of the existing country codes, so will shorten the the displayed name to D03. The displayed name is irrelevant though because as long as you can logon to the network this is only what counts! As most phones have a list of country codes (the first 3 digits) we have compiled the list of codes here in an abbreviated form which would be displayed by most phones including Nokia)

Other GSM1800 test networks, some of which run by Orange GSM900 roaming partners may also be accessible in:

Budapest, Hungary: "H04" found here with no access as of July 1998

Thanks to many, many people for keeping me updated with network info - they know who they are!

Mistakes? New Info?

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