In terms of subscribers in the mobile arena, China and Japan hold the second and third ranking in the world respectively. Fixed-line networks have also grown, albeit much slower than the Internet or mobile. There is still much room for improvement among the region's developing countries. Some six million people are on waiting lists for the fixed-telephone service and many more have not signed up because they cannot afford the service now. Less than one-fifth of households in the region's developing countries have their own telephone service.
Wireless technology holds much promise for promoting communication access in the region.
One of the factors driving cellular growth in the Philippines is the popularity of pre-paid plans. At the end of 1999, over 70 per cent of Filipino mobile subscribers were using these plans. As pre-paid programmes get more established in the region, mobile subscriptions should rise. Nepal country profile The Kingdom of Nepal is situated in South Asia, on the southern slopes of the Himalayan mountain range, and lies between India and China. Eight of the world's ten tallest peaks, including the highest Mt. Everest, are located in Nepal.