Czech Republic Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Communications and IT === {{Main|Internet in the Czech Republic}} [[File:Eduard Kučera, Milada Kučerová, Jarmila Baudišová, Pavel Baudiš, foto Milan Bureš.jpg|thumb|Founders and owners of the antivirus group [[Avast]]]] The Czech Republic ranks in the top 10 countries worldwide with the fastest average internet speed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/technology/state-of-the-internet-reports-reveals-internet-speeds-around-the-world/story-e6frfro0-1226344876391|title='State of the Internet' report reveals the fastest web speeds around the world|first=Lee|last=Taylor|date=2 May 2012|work=news.com.au|access-date=2 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502094323/http://www.news.com.au/technology/state-of-the-internet-reports-reveals-internet-speeds-around-the-world/story-e6frfro0-1226344876391|archive-date=2 May 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> By the beginning of 2008, there were over 800 mostly local [[Wireless Internet service provider|WISPs]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Wi-Fi: Poskytovatelé bezdrátového připojení |url=http://www.internetprovsechny.cz/wifi-poskytovatele.php |publisher=internetprovsechny.cz |access-date=17 March 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308231712/http://www.internetprovsechny.cz/wifi-poskytovatele.php |archive-date=8 March 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Bezdrátové připojení k internetu|url=http://www.bezdratovepripojeni.cz|publisher=bezdratovepripojeni.cz|access-date=18 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623212438/http://www.bezdratovepripojeni.cz/|archive-date=23 June 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> with about 350,000 subscribers in 2007. Plans based on either [[General Packet Radio Service|GPRS]], [[Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution|EDGE]], [[Universal Mobile Telecommunications System|UMTS]] or [[CDMA2000]] are being offered by all three mobile phone operators ([[T-Mobile International AG|T-Mobile]], O2, [[Vodafone]]) and internet provider U:fon. Government-owned [[Český Telecom]] slowed down broadband penetration. At the beginning of 2004, [[local-loop unbundling]] began and alternative operators started to offer [[ADSL]] and also [[Symmetric digital subscriber line|SDSL]]. This and later privatization of Český Telecom helped drive down prices. On 1 July 2006, Český Telecom was acquired by globalized company (Spain-owned) Telefónica group and adopted the new name [[Telefónica O2 Czech Republic]]. {{as of|2017}}, VDSL and ADSL2+ are offered in variants, with download speeds of up to 50 Mbit/s and upload speeds of up to 5 Mbit/s. Cable internet is gaining more popularity with its higher download speeds ranging from 50 Mbit/s to 1 Gbit/s. Two [[computer security]] companies, [[Avast]] and [[AVG Technologies|AVG]], were founded in the Czech Republic. In 2016, Avast led by [[Pavel Baudiš]] bought rival AVG for [[United States dollar|US$]]1.3 billion, together at the time, these companies had a user base of about 400 million people and 40% of the consumer market outside of China.<ref>{{cite news|title=Antivirus giant Avast is acquiring rival AVG for $1.3b|url=https://thenextweb.com/insider/2016/07/07/antivirus-giant-avast-acquiring-rival-avg-1-3b/|publisher=TNW|date=7 July 2016|access-date=18 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612184524/https://thenextweb.com/insider/2016/07/07/antivirus-giant-avast-acquiring-rival-avg-1-3b/|archive-date=12 June 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Avast not done with deal-making after AVG buy, but no rush|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-avast-avg-tech-ceo-idUSKCN1201R2?type=companyNews|work=Reuters|date=30 September 2016|access-date=2 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016123038/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-avast-avg-tech-ceo-idUSKCN1201R2?type=companyNews|archive-date=16 October 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Avast is the leading provider of antivirus software, with a 20.5% market share.<ref>{{cite news|title=Avast Buys Piriform, the Company Behind CCleaner and Recuva|url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/business/avast-buys-piriform-the-company-behind-ccleaner-and-recuva/|work=BleepingComputer|access-date=5 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720002226/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/business/avast-buys-piriform-the-company-behind-ccleaner-and-recuva/|archive-date=20 July 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page