Iraq is preparing to reintroduce landline telephone services to homes through a modern fiber-optic network as the Ministry of Communications moves to modernize the country's telecommunications infrastructure and expand digital connectivity.

Government Plans to Relaunch Landline Service

The Telecommunications and Informatics Company, part of Iraq's Ministry of Communications, announced plans to restore landline telephone services across the country within the next year.

Director General Ali Yassin said the project will be implemented in partnership with specialized companies using Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) technology. Under the plan, landline services will be connected through home internet routers, allowing households to access both telephone and broadband services via a single digital network.

According to the ministry, work to replace Iraq's aging copper telephone infrastructure with a modern fiber-optic system began in 2025.

The upgraded network is intended to provide more than traditional voice communication, offering improved internet connectivity and supporting the government's broader efforts to strengthen Iraq's digital infrastructure.

Why Landlines Disappeared

Iraq was one of the first Arab countries to introduce landline telephone services. However, the sector declined sharply after the 2003 invasion as mobile phones became the primary means of communication.

Earlier setbacks also contributed to the network's deterioration. During the 1990s, airstrikes associated with the Gulf War destroyed much of Iraq's telecommunications infrastructure. Although successive governments allocated funds to rebuild the system, many rehabilitation projects failed because of financial mismanagement and inefficient spending.

Iraq's landline telephone network dates back more than a century and has undergone several major milestones:

• 1910: The country's first telephone service was introduced for official administrative use.
• 1919: Baghdad established its first manual telephone exchange.
• 1921: Residential landline subscriptions began, with former Prime Minister Tawfiq al-Suwaidi becoming the first private subscriber.
• 1927: Iraq opened its first public communications office on Al-Rasheed Street in Baghdad.
• 1932: The number of landline subscribers nationwide reached 1,876.