The development of communications and information infrastructure in Tunisia has been seen at the highest political level as a current main priority. Investments in the telecommunications sector have almost quadrupled during the last ten years. In 1987, the amount of government expenditures totalised 400 million dinars, while in 1999 the amount to be invested in telecommunications was 1.5 billion dinars (roughly the same in US dollars).

Mr. Ahmed Friaâ, minister of Communications has underlined the concern of Tunisia to be in the forefront of the information technologies developments. The objective is to guarantee the presence of Tunisia in the international scene, support the competitiveness and protect the national identity. This strategy is based on the modernization of the infrastructure in the sector so that it will contribute to the dynamic development of the economy; further development of the investment rate and it will contribute to a more favorable business environment for foreign investments in Tunisia. This strategy is based equally on the integration of modern technologies and the adoption of worldwide used "state of the art" technologies.

Mr. Ahmed Friaâ, announced that an amount of 300 millions of dinars will be invested in the communications sector in the year 2000 in Tunisia. The strategy adopted concerning the development of the sector of communications is:

• to strengthen the infrastructure
• to favour the existence of an adequate regulatory framework
• to introduce and spread the culture of information
• to develop the human resources of the country

Another priority of the government in the near future is going to be the completion of the legal bases for electronic commerce in order to adjust the content of Tunisian legal document to this new activity. Tunisian authorities as a mean to further develop business and trade opportunities actively promote e-commerce. Concerning the electronic trade, Mr. Friaâ has underlined that a law governing electronic transactions will be beginning in the year 2000.

The Ministry of Communications (MOC) continues to act as the regulatory entity and is still ultimately responsible for the development of Tunisia's telecommunications infrastructure.

The authority responsible for the development of Tunisia’s telecommunications infrastructure is the Ministry of Communications (MOC).

The Office National des Telecommunications controls all the activities relative with the domain of the telecommunications. This authority is active in the following tasks:

• Creation, exploitation, maintenance and extension of all the public telecommunication resources (in particular telephone networks, data networks and telex).
• Promotion of new telecommunication services with the installation of the necessary equipment and adaptation to new technologies.
• Contribution in the development of scientific research and studies in the area of the telecommunications
• Application of the conventions and treaties ( WTO, international and regional ) signed from Tunisia
• Promotion of the co-operation between the national institutes and the international & foreign technical organisations

The Office National de la Telediffusion assures the correct creation, exploitation, maintenance and extension of all the means concerning radio and television transmissions. Other responsibilities include:

• Control of the reception quality for the radio & television programmes
• Provide guidance for the studies and research relative with the radio and television transmissions
• Promotion of the co-operation between the national institutes and the international & foreign technical organisations
• Promotion of the Value Added Service for television transmissions

The public telecommunications operator and sole supplier of basic telecommunications services is the Office National Des Telecommunications, also called Tunisie Telecom. The government has charged the Office National Des Telecommunications with developing an advanced and pervasive network and also given it a wide range of public responsibilities, such as to contribute to the development of scientific research in the area of telecommunications. Liberalisation of the sector is being discussed to occur from the year 2003 and onwards.

With Alcatel, Ericsson and Nortel having local production facilities in Tunisia, projects for digitisation of the network are getting strong pushes. Tunisie Telecom makes extensive use of microwave radio links in its domestic transmission network and for communications with its immediate neighbours, Algeria and Libya. For international communications, Tunisia relies on satellite networks and is also connected to the SEA-ME-WE-2 submarine fiber optic cable with a landing site in Bizerte. Tunisia is a member of ARABSAT, INMARSAT, EUTELSAT and INTELSAT.

In February of 1997, Tunisia signed WTO Basic Telecommunications Services Agreement. Tunisia committed itself to market access and national treatment for:

• telex and packet-switched data services as of January 1^st, 1999
• mobile telephone, paging, teleconferencing and frame relay as of January 1^st, 2000
• local voice telephony as of January 1^st, 2003

Microsoft Company decided to set up a representation in Tunisia. The decision of the software world leader was announced on 22 June 1999 at the end of a meeting between Secretary of State for Informatics - Mr. Montassar Ouaili, and a visiting delegation of Microsoft regional directors. Microsoft’s interest in Tunisia stems from the rapid expansion in the information technology sector in Tunisia and the wide investment opportunities and incentives offered by the government.

An agreement of cooperation has been signed between the Institut Superieur du Tourisme and the Hotellerie de Sidi Dhrf and the Foundation Sophia Antipolis (Nice) on 26/10/1999. This agreement concerns the Mediteranian project, (virtual school of trades in Mediterranean), on distance training in tourism. Tunisia, France and Morocco are involved in this project, which is part of the Euro - Mediterranean Eumedis program.

Since the independence of Tunisia in 1956, the telecommunications entity has been a conventional government department (Secretariat of State) supervised and regulated by the Ministry of Communications and Transportation. In 1987, the PTT gained the right to retain earned revenues for direct reinvestment in the sector. In every other way however, it remained a conventional government department. An ITU study conducted in 1990 strongly recommended institutional reforms, specifically restructuring the entity in order to provide legal access to greater financial borrowing sources and the authority to offer competitive salaries to its staff.

In the early 1990s, proposals for restructuring the entity into a public enterprise or other semi-autonomous organization were met with hostility from the PTT labour union. A demonstration in April 1992 by the labour unions opposing greater autonomy measures was met with assurances from the Ministry of Communications that no changes were imminent. Nonetheless, the issue was prominent in the discussions concerning Tunisia's 8^th National Plan (1992-96).

In 1995, the Chamber of Deputies (Tunisian Parliament) adopted a law specifying the creation of a national office of telecommunications. This restructuring changes the entity from an administrative structure to a public enterprise with industrial and commercial orientation. In 1996, Tunisia's telecom operating entity, formerly known as the General Directorate of Telecommunications (DGT), was established as an independent Tunisie Telecom. The Ministry of Communications (MOC) continued to act as the regulatory entity and is still ultimately responsible for the development of Tunisia's telecommunications infrastructure.

As part of the recent WTO Basic Telecommunications Services Agreement reached in February 1997, Tunisia committed to market access and national treatment for the following:

• Telex and packet-switched data services as of January 1 1999,
• Mobile telephone, paging, teleconferencing and frame relay as of January 1, 2000
• Local voice telephony as of January 1, 2003.

Foreign ownership in the telecommunications sector is limited to 49 percent (10 percent in the case of Tunisie Telecom).

The telecommunications market in Tunisia has been liberalised substantially since 1987. During the 1992-96 Plan period, public telephone service was opened up to the private sector. The number of public telephones managed by private company’s rose rapidly from 1,097 in 1992 to 4,730 in 1994. Facsimile and paging services were also privatised.

Tunisie Telecom used to operate an Ericsson installed NMT-450 analog cellular network that supported approximately 10,000 subscribers. The network consisted of five base stations situated at Bourknine, Bouficha, Sousse, El Jem, and Sfax, covering two-thirds of Tunisia, ranging from Tunis to Sfax with a radius of 50 to 60 kilometres around each of the base stations. The number of subscribers for cellular telephones rose from 50 when it was introduced in 1985 to 2,269 in 1993. In 1991, PTT expanded the mobile telephone network by 100% to accommodate additional subscribers. The cost of cellular phone subscriber equipment has come down steadily over the past five years, but was still high in 1994 at 3,500 TD (US$3,850). Calling charges were three times that of local fixed telephone service.

In September 1997, Alcatel was awarded a contract for the supply and installation of a GSM cellular network to be operated by Tunisie Telecom. The GSM network will support 35,000 subscribers in the greater Tunis area, and will eventually be expanded to serve 100,000 subscribers nation-wide. A trial GSM network supplied by Nortel / Matra that supported 500 subscribers was recently deactivated.

The Communications Minister Ahmed Friaa announced that the Tunisian GSM mobile phone network is expected to reach 100,000 subscribers by the end of 1999, exceeding his department's forecasts. The GSM network, which initially was 30,000 lines, has now risen to 40,000 subscribers and will soon be extended to 50,000 lines before reaching a global capacity of 100,000 lines before the end of 1999.

Previous plans forecasted 200,000 lines by the end of 2001, while demand has been exceeding all expectations and is due to increase even further when the GSM network will cover new inland areas by next summer. "GSM roaming services" are available in Tunisia and are made possible with 34 countries through agreements with 49 providers in those countries. More countries and companies will be added as soon as agreements are signed with the Tunisian provider Tunisie Telecom.

Leased Lines are fairly available in Tunisia due to the continuous process of modernisation of the telecommunications infrastructure. For the digital links, their tariffs vary according to the destination as Tunisie Telecom is dividing the world into six zones. Links for neighbouring countries inside the co-operation of North African countries or "Etehad Magharebe," especially Libya and Algeria are about one quarter of the rates to other Arab countries. Links to Morocco, and other European countries in the Mediterranean are 50% more and links to the rest of Europe are 75% more.

In November 1991, PTT introduced "Tunipac," a packet-switched data transmission network with the x-25 transmission standard (DPS 2500 with Alcatel-CIT of France), which can accommodate up to 1,545 ports. "Tunipac" grew from fifty subscribers in November 1991 to 1,800 subscribers by June 1992, when most of PTT's data service clientele were transferred from the public telephone (circuit-switched) network to the packet-switched network, thereby providing more reliable and efficient service.

Tunisie Telecom has been experimenting with the digital network for integrated services, the commercial name for ISDN network since April 1997. An experimental network was installed to give bandwidth on demand for 300 institutional users. This network, connected to Germany, is working with the European Standards, 64 Kbps per B channel and 16 Kbps per D channel. Several users have used the network to do video conferencing with France where they have strong business relations.

After the success of the experimental network, there is a project currently going on to install an access network to cover most of major cities in Tunisia. Currently, the network covers 4 major cities (Tunis, Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte and Nabuel) and offers access in variety of packages. There is a general feeling in Tunisia that the service is over priced and thus prices are expected to be reduced by 10% on the average for both the installation and monthly subscription fees.

The Tunisian Government has done a great deal to develop Internet access and boost the number of users. Government action includes:

• Over 50% in May 1998 and an additional 30% reduced Internet subscription charges and phone call costs in March 1999, with special rates for family use.
• A national fund was set up to help develop Tunisian Websites.
• The creation of Internet public spaces called PUBLINET.

Promotional activities accompanying these actions included:

• Internet awareness seminars and conferences
• Training programs on Internet technologies
• Special Radio and TV programs to introduce Tunisian families to Internet.

Also the national backbone of Internet is upgrading in terms of:

• Increased data transmission rate from 0,5 Mbits/s to 10 Mbits
• Realization of 2500km fibers optic system
• Preparation of additional 3500km fibers optic system

The Internet subscribers in Tunisia amounted to 111 in the end of 1996 and reached the number of 15,000 in June 1999. The Internet users were estimated to amount to 75,000. The objective is to reach 30,000 Internet subscribers by the end of the year and 100,000 Internet subscribers in year 2000. The number of web sites has also shown a notable expansion. On December 1996 the number of web sites was 2 while on July 1999 it reached the number of 169. The objective is to reach 250 web sites by the end of the year and 3000 web sites in the year 2000.

Tunisia is an Internet host site registered with the top-level domain name system (Internet's Domain Name System). The Institute Regional Des Sciences Informatiques et Technologiques (IRSIT) located in Tunis, Tunisia, has offered full Internet Protocol (IP) Internet connectivity since 1991, over the X.25 packet switched network Tunipac to EUnet in Europe based in Amsterdam. On December 1993, the connection to Amsterdam was established via a 19.2 Kilobits per second (Kbps) leased line. Bitnet is accessible through EARN (European Academic Research Network, the European Bitnet Network).

There is one Bitnet node in Tunisia, also operated by IRSIT. IRSIT also offers access via Unix-to-Unix Copy Protocol (UUCP) and dial-up IP to users with no IP connectivity. In December 1994, there were 16 full IP sites in Tunisia and about 1000 electronic mail users (UUCP and dialup IP). Of the 16 IP sites, 4 were commercial, 4 academic and 8 non-academic sites. Internet users in Tunisia had access to E-mail, Telnet, FTP, and Gopher, but not to the World Wide Web, as it required more bandwidth than what was available then.

In 1993, IRSIT was awarded a contract from the Secretary of State for Scientific Research and Technology in the Prime Minister's Office to build a national research network for Tunisia ("Reseau National de Recherche de Tunisie" or RNRT). The project resulted in interconnection of more than 50 educational institutes around Tunisia. In addition, IRSIT was contracted by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in October 1994 to provide Internet access for non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and thereby to most of the cities in Tunisia. IRSIT was the only agency in charge of Internet activities in Tunisia till 1996 when the National Office of Telecommunications took over this service offering from IRSIT.

Tunisian Agency for Internet (ATI) was established in April 1996 as a public company with Tunisie Telecom owning 51 percent of its shares and private investors owning the rest. ATI is a service provider for value-added services in telecommunications and it plays the role of the national operator for the Internet backbone in Tunisia and manager of the .tn domain.

ATI provides Internet services for governmental agencies and NGOs in Tunisia in addition to 2 commercial providers (Global Net and Planet Tunisie) and some focal points to provide Internet services to others. IRSIT is connected to ATI and provides direct connectivity for research institutes and for the computation center of the Tunisia University, El Khawarizemi. El Khawarizemi provides Internet access to higher education institutes in Tunisia in addition to acting as an access point for the university campus in Tunis. Commercial providers serve the individuals in addition to private organizations including private universities.

ATI is connected to the Internet via 2 fiber links. The first link goes to Telecom Italia via 6 Mbps, 3 E1 links that is upgraded by a new E1 every 3 months according to the contractual agreement between ATI and Telecom Italia. Telecom Italia in turn is connected to the Internet backbone via 78 Mbps link from Teleglobe of Canada. The other link is a 1Mbps link leased from Global One to the US backbone. Although ATI is not over committed in bandwidth, access is somehow slow due to the over-commitment of Telecom Italia.

Internet access is available via a local call across the whole country with a monthly subscription rate of around 30 DT (Current exchange rate for DT Vs $US is about 0.9DT) for residential use and 50 DT for business use. There was an estimated 5,500 Internet users in mid '98 and by the end of the year the estimations were raised to about 10,000. The majority, if not all, are research centers, education institutions, health institutions, governmental institutions and ministries. Private companies are connected to the Internet and the push for increased home use is now on. A 64 kbps from ATI costs around 1400 DT/month. For multiples of 64, the costs are multiplied by .9 till speeds of full E1.

There is no national plan for the very small aperture terminal (VSAT) communications. Every case is being dealt with separately. The user has to obtain licensing from three different ministries (Telecommunications, Defense and Interior) and to bring its own equipment. There is the case of British Petroleum Company that obtained licensing for use of VSAT between its locations in Tunisia and the headquarters in Britain.

However, Tunisians feel VSAT is not critical in Tunisia due to the high population density and the small size of the country. These factors make ISDN and digital links more viable for them than satellite technology.

At the end of 1996, Tunisia had an estimated installed base of 560,000 main lines, giving it a telephone density of approximately 6 percent. As part of Tunisia's 8^th Development Plan, which covered the 1992-1996 time frame, Tunisie Telecom expanded the telecom network to the rural eastern half of the country and began upgrading existing switches and exchanges to digital technology.

The national network systems are improving in terms of coverage, quality, capacity and modernization. In the 9^th Development Plan (1997-2001), Tunisie Telecom is undertaking a variety of projects to further upgrade and expand its telecommunications infrastructure that could total upwards of US$1 billion. Currently there are around 720,000 main lines in Tunisia, with projects in the 9^th Development Plan to add one million new lines and installation of new telephone exchanges to serve additional 450,000 subscribers. By the year 2001, Tunisie Telecom hopes to increase Tunisia's overall telephone density to 10 percent.

The Communications Minister Ahmed Friaa announced that the entire telecommunications network in Tunisia is 100% digital. The process of digitalisation was achieved at the end of June 1999. The minister said that the sector of telecommunications would record a growth rate of 17% at the end of 2001. The number of subscribers of the fixed telephone network system will reach the amount of 1 Mio by the year 2000 and the amount of 2 Mio by the year 2004.

The Tunisian Government has paid special attention to electronic commerce and a National Commission for Electronic Commerce and EDI (CNCE) was set up in November 1997. The commission is comprised of: the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Communications, the Minister of Trade, the Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts, the Minister of Finance, Secretary of State for Informatics, Secretary of State for Scientific Research and Technology, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Tunisia.

This commission, made up of several working groups, was given the task of setting up electronic commerce strategy and infrastructure in Tunisia. These working groups study the various aspects of electronic commerce (legal, commercial, financial, security...).

Two reports that include the Commission's recommendations were submitted to the government in March 1998 and in November 1998.

Six pilot projects were launched and put into operation in May 1999. They are a set of virtual stores offering a wide range of Tunisian products, such as crafts, goods, clothing, foodstuffs, tourism packages, hotel reservations, etc.

During a cabinet meeting held in mid May 1999, major decisions aimed at boosting electronic commerce in Tunisia were taken. They include:

• Revision of procedures connected with external trade with a view to boosting exports via the Internet network and facilitating the action of electronic commerce operators.
• Launching of pilot projects that will open virtual shopping centres to export tourist products, craft work certain finished products, and agricultural and industrial goods.
• Implementing of a "strategy of awareness and training", via the organisation of periodic study days on electronic commerce.
• Further developing the national communications network with a view to adapting it to the demands of electronic exchange via information networks as regards to fluidity and speed of data transmission, while simultaneously working to develop transport and express mail services.
• Putting the finishing touches to the legal framework regulating this activity so that Tunisian law will be in tune with this new mode of commercial transaction, particularly as regards to legalisation of the electronic means of identification (digital signature and certification) and breaches of trust.
• Creation of a permanent ministerial committee, supported by a technical commission of experts and specialists, to guarantee permanent follow-up of these recommendations and ensure co-ordination among all participants.

EDI projects are being studied in various sectors such as banking, textiles and telecommunications. One of the EDI main projects is the "Single Batch" project aimed at facilitating foreign trade procedure by setting up an EDI server centre to allow various agents (trade organisations, customs, banks, forwards etc.) to exchange foreign commerce operations documents. Moreover, a Web/EDI interface will permit importers, exporters and forwarders to carry out foreign commerce operations via the Internet network without needing expertise in EDI.

6.1.1 Government (national, regional and local)

The National Agricultural Network (AGRINET) connects agricultural institutions and is administered by IRESA (Higher Agricultural Institute for Research and Teaching). This network connects 14 higher agriculture institutes as well as 7 regional research centres. It also provides connectivity to the various departments of the Agriculture Ministry as well as its various representations throughout the country.

Tunisian officials perceive higher education as an asset for Tunisia and one of the means for catching up with the developed world. According to a 1995 UNDP report, Tunisia has one scientific technician per 2,000 inhabitants, a figure equal to that of Argentina and Mexico, and which represents one half that of Portugal or Spain. This number is expected to grow as Tunisia is planning during its IXth Economic Development Plan to increase the number of technological university graduates by 300% to reach 4,050 by 2001/2002 from a modest 1,600 in 1996/1997.

Thus, a particular attention is given to scientific and technical courses of study and to vocational training. Alternate work training and self-designed training programs are available, to enable Tunisia to offer the skills businesses are looking for semiskilled and skilled technicians who can adapt easily to technological change. A vast program intended to quadruple training capacity over 7 years should raise the trainee graduation rate from 15,000 to 60,000.

The Tunisian government plans to spend 5.3 million dinars for computer equipment in schools, while computer courses will be compulsory starting of the third year in secondary schools by 2000/2001 for all sections. Twenty-four percent of the country's budget was devoted to the education sector. Expenditures for the education and vocational training sectors represent 6.1 percent of the country's gross domestic product. ($-1.20 dinar)

All the country's 334 secondary schools are now connected to the Internet. The end of the 1999/2000 school year Tunisian government plans to connect another 40 percent of preparatory classes for secondary schools. In addition, 271 computer laboratories had been set up in the country's secondary schools and this number is expected to reach 380 by the end of 1999 in a plan to cover all the country's secondary schools.

In October 1998, the Tunisian Government launched an ambitious project with two objectives:

• Making access to Internet and Internet services general throughout Tunisia, especially in rural areas
• Creating jobs for young university graduates.

This project consists in setting up Internet public centres in every part of the country. It is aimed to open up 100 such spaces in 1999. To encourage young entrepreneurs, it was decided that for the first 100 Publinets, the Government contributes to the project by supplying grants covering 50% of the costs of the equipment and the rest of the amount should be covered through bank loans carrying low interest rates. For other Publinets, funding would be payable by the promoter.

Every Publinet is linked to the Internet network via one of the seven POP points of presence of the national Backbone through a leased Nx64 Kbps-line so as to ensure good quality service. Each Publinet offers access to the Web and e-mail accounts at a more competitive rate than that offered by Internet Services Providers. Thus giving access to the widest possible number of users especially those who cannot afford to have one.

Private universities have been operating in Tunisia since mid 80’s but till now have not been accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education. Nevertheless, there is a large portion of students who go to private education due to the limited number of seats in the public schools. Students need to finish their study abroad or else get employed by private institutes.

Arab University of Sciences (UAS)

A private university composed of 6 colleges: languages and translation, tourism, engineering, commerce and management, journalism and mass communication, and law. Linked with universities in France and Canada, Quebec, where professors are brought in for short periods to give lectures in various topics or students go to finish their graduate studies. The university already investigated the possibility of the use of video conferencing but did not carry on with the project due to the large capital required. Also their information infrastructure is not the most up-to-date and their connectivity to the Internet depends on a single dialup account.

Universite Libre de Tunis (INTAC)

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research supports public universities. An initial approach with the minister was not very promising as he declared that Tunisia is currently undertaking a study about Distance Education as a whole. The study of the project named "MultiMedia" is expected to be complete within 6 months and until its completion it is not likely to consider any projects. However, during a visit later to the Ecole National des Sciences de l’informatique (ENSI) of the Universite des Sciences des techniques et de Medecine de Tunis, the Dean, Dr. Farouk Kamoun showed interest in the project, and promised to get the permission of the Minister to participate.

ENSI is the specialized college for graduation of IT students, with 350 students studying for degrees of masters and doctorate. The computation center, El Kawarezmi, of University of Tunis showed interest to participate through ENSI.

6.1.3 Medicine

The National Health Network (RNS) administered by CIMSP (Ministry of Public Health Computer Centre), connects over 64 hospitals, including:

• all University Hospital Centres
• 10 regional or constituency hospitals.

The aim is to connect all hospitals to the Internet network.

This network will be used also in Tele-medicine, allowing the quality of health services in rural areas to be improved by exploiting the skills of qualified medical staff concentrated in the big towns.

Organisations working in the IT business are good candidates for the project as they posses the know-how in the technological aspects related to the project. This will minimize the time needed to build a team capable of supporting the equipment that will reflect in the costs of implementation. Also, most organizations working in the IT area are becoming more involved in professional training regarding it as a promising areas. They have already institutionalized training as a separate business unit with high potential of growth. However, co-operating with an organization in the area of IT will be limit, on the long run, the potential of delivering a variety of courses on the network. Also, the capacity of training in the IT organizations is less, compared to an educational institute.

Tunisia is currently undertaking a "Total Re-formation" program funded by the European Union in order to increase the competitiveness of the various organizations in anticipation of application of the partnership agreement between Tunisia and WTO. Organizations are entitled to have full refund of the expenses incurred for training of their staff members in any of the programs certified by the Ministry of Labour and Formation. All organizations in Tunisia pay 2 percent of their total annual wages to the government whether they are using this facility or not. Thus, training is very viable and blooming in Tunisia at the moment.

Institut Regional des Sciences Informatiques et Technologiques (IRSIT)

IRSIT, is considered as a pioneer in IT in Tunisia and it started the introduction of the Internet in 1991. Even after the establishment of ATI, IRSIT continued to work as a service provider for the research institutes through the Reseau National Recherche Technologie (RNRT). Currently, IRSIT is heavily involved in projects related to distance learning specially through low speed links, through a combination of CDs and online tutoring.

1.1 Allocation of resources : Tunisia seek private GSM phone operator

Tunisia plans to grant a licence to a private GSM mobile phone service operator, in the first privatisation in the telecommunications sector, by the end of 2000. This is an instruction of president Zine al-Abidine ben Ali as part of Tunisia privatisation program. The country's sole telecommunications operator is state-run Tunisie Telecom, which already runs a GSM network. The new private operator would be the country's second mobile phone operator.

• ATI provides Internet services for government offices and institutions (ministries, government agencies...) ( www.ati.tn  )
• IRSIT (Regional Institute for Computer Sciences and Telecommunications) provides Internet services to research centres ( www.irsit.rnrt.tn  )
• CCK (Khawarizmi Computing Centre) provides Internet connectivity to universities and institutes of higher learning.
• INBMI (National Institute of Office and Computer Technology) provides Internet services to primary and high schools.
• CIMSP (Ministry of Public Health Computer Centre) provides connectivity to hospitals, medical institutions and offices of the Ministry of Health
• IRESA (Higher Agricultural Institute for Research and Teaching) provides Internet services to institutions coming under the Ministry of Agriculture
• Tunisie Telecom provides Internet services to institutions coming under the Ministry of Communications (post offices, the Telephone Company, telecom research centres, etc.)

Private sector:

• Planet Tunisie ( www.planet.tn  )
• 3S Global Net ( www.gnet.tn )

These Internet Service Providers offer Internet connectivity via RTC, leased lines, X.25 lines and ISDN.