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But in North Korea, however, is still stuck on 3G.
The country launched its 3G network in 2008, not long after the United States did (the iPhone 3G came out in 2008 as well.) The network, provided by Koryolink, doesn’t work like mobile networks in the Western world; for one thing, there’s no Internet access, and for another, communications are severely restricted.
Orascom Telecom, the Egyptian firm, made an investment in that 3G network, but subsequently fell out with the regime, Network World reported in 2015, as Orascom reportedly was unable to get its profits out of North Korea.
The Washington Post reported in 2019 that the controversial Chinese firm Huawei had played a part in building North Korea’s network.
North Korea propaganda is getting a face lift with now four channels available across the impoverished country.
Back in the early 1990s, Bruce Springsteen wrote a song called “57 Channels (and Nothing On),” because that’s about how many TV channels were available on cable packages back then. Now, those with cable in the Western world have access to hundreds of channels, although the streaming revolution has kind of made “channels” an obsolete concept for many.
In North Korea, however, they have finally jumped from one channel to four, according to a new report.
38 North, a website that covers events in North Korea, reported this week that “multi-channel television” has expanded beyond Pyongyang into the provinces in North Korea in the last year. Most of the country had long only had one channel available, but now have up to four, although Pyongyang has had multiple channels for several years.