Page 624 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

622  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

Communications and Media

Although the Italian postal service is known for being
very slow, Italy’s other forms of communication, at
least in the cities, are more efficient. Fax machines,
courier services and telephones are all widespread, Telephone company logo
and Internet points are available throughout Italy.
Foreign-language newspapers and magazines are on sale in receive as well as the calls
all cities and most large towns. Both state-run and privately you make, and you have to
owned television stations exist, but only satellite television pay a substantial premium
and radio stations broadcast foreign-language programmes. for the international leg
of the call.
Another option is to
Telephones The 0 before the local area purchase a local SIM card –
The Italian national telephone code also needs to be dialled the electronic chip that links
company, Telecom Italia, after the country code when your phone to a particular
dismantled the last remaining you are calling from abroad. network – that can be topped
telephone booths in 2014, so Mobile-phone numbers up with credit and uses the
it’s best to rely on your mobile always start with a 3 and are local mobile phone networks.
phone, either by setting not preceded by a 0. You can only do this if your
up a roaming handset is “unlocked” – some
agreement with your operators lock their phones
provider at home or Mobile Phones to specific networks.
by purchasing a local There are four main It is worth checking your
SIM card. TIM and GSM frequencies insurance policy in case your
Vodafone are the Telephone sign (Global System for phone gets stolen. You should
country’s main providers. Mobile Communica- also keep your network
tions) in use around the world, operator’s helpline number
so, to guarantee that your handy for emergencies.
International and Local phone will work, make sure you
Telephone Calls
have a quad-band phone. Tri-
A cheap and efficient way to band phones from outside the Email and Internet
make an international call is US are also usually compatible Internet and email services are
to buy an international calling but, because the US uses two widely available throughout
card, which can be purchased frequency bands itself, a US Italy, particularly in urban areas,
at either tobacconists or tri-band phone may only so it should not
news-stands. have limited global coverage. be difficult to access email
Rates are slightly higher when Contact your service provider accounts or connect to the web.
using it to call a mobile phone. for clarification. Telecom Italia, the Italian
Be sure to check with your hotel To use your mobile phone national phone company, has
before using a card from your abroad you may need to set up Internet services in the
room, because additional get “permission” from your country’s major train stations
charges may be applied. network operator, as often and public phone centres.
To make a local call, always they need to enable “roaming” Internet time can be purchased
dial the area code preceded by for your phone. using a regular phone card.
0, even if you are calling a At the moment, you are Some major chains of Internet
number within the same town. charged for the calls you points sell magnetic cards with
credit that can be used in any
of their stores throughout Italy.
Internet Train, with branches
in over 40 towns, is the most
visible. Visit its website for a full
list of stores. In addition, small
Internet points are very
common. These are usually
Rome Italy Man look- clustered around train stations,
ing computer internet cheap hotels and university
point areas and can range from the
back room of a café or bar to
the corner of a laundrette. Users
can buy computer time in
blocks as short as 15 minutes.
Using an Internet café in Rome There are usually student

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