Page 748 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

746  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

Communications

The Indian postal system is fairly efficient, with a wide
variety of options, from registered post to reliable
courier services, offered by post offices countrywide.
Telecommunications systems are sophisticated even in
smaller towns: all main hotels have business centres and
Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity), and most markets have shops
or booths (internet cafés) from where international calls
can be made, e-mails sent and the Internet accessed.
A range of English-language newspapers and magazines
are available, and foreign newspapers and magazines are
sold in bookshops, particularly in the main cities.

Postage stamps in 5-rupee denominations
International and Local increasing number of
Telephone Calls establishments have Wi-Fi, while Office for up to one month,
All major hotels offer subscriber privately operated Internet cafés and you will need some form
trunk dialling (STD) for calls with the latest facilities can be of identification – preferably
within India, and international found in markets and shopping your passport – to retrieve your
subscriber dialling (ISD) for areas in most large cities. Even mail. The same service is also
international calls. Calls made smaller towns usually have provided by Foreign Post
from STD/ISD booths, identified enterprising hole-in-the-wall Offices in the four main cities,
by their yellow signage, are Internet outlets. All outlets have as well as American Express in
much cheaper than at hotels. fixed hourly or half-hourly rates. most major cities. Envelopes
Rates are fixed for interna tional should be addressed with
and STD calls. the surname underlined
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd Postal Services and in capitals, c/o Poste
(BSNL) offers a pre-paid card There are many different Restante, followed by the
for local, STD and ISD calls. services offered by India name and address of
It can be used from all BSNL Post – general or the post office. Parcels
landlines and mobile phones. registered mail, parcel sent overseas cannot
WhatsApp messaging service post, poste restante, and exceed 20 kg (44 lb).
is also widely used. a special courier service Check the details at the
known as EMS-Speed Post. post office. Book Post is
Letterboxes are a cheaper option for
Mobile Phones colour coded: local documents, books and
Mobile phones can easily be letters are green; A typical post box printed material. The
bought from service counters at metropolitan and other maximum weight is
international airports, as well as cities, as well as international 5 kg (11 pounds). Some hotels
at registered offices. In Delhi and mail are red; and the Quick Mail may offer to post letters and
Mumbai, Airtel and Vodafone Service (QMS) is yellow. Post parcels. Always be sure to
are the main service networks, offices are open Monday to stick stamps down and post
while in Kolkata, the networks Friday between 10am and postcards and letters yourself.
are provided by BSNL, Airtel, 5pm, and on Saturdays until
Idea and Vodafone. International noon. Some services, such as Addresses
calling cards are offered by registered mail, close earlier.
companies such as Reliance Letters sent poste restante In India, addresses always begin
International Card and Matrix are held at the General Post with the house number, followed
International Card. These provide by the name of the street, and
calling and data facilities, are finally, the city and its pin code.
value for money and can easily The newer residential localities
be bought at the airport. are divided into blocks, and the
Passports can be used as block number usually appears
identity proofs for purchasing with the house number.
the cards. Therefore, B4/88 Safdarjung
Enclave would be: house
number 88 in the B4 block
Internet of Safdarjung Enclave Colony.
The Internet is widely used Each state and city has its
in India. Most large hotels offer own variations, which can be
web access to guests and an Internet café, Bengaluru confusing and hard to decipher,

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