Page 374 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Estonia Latvia & Lithuania

372 SUR VIV AL GUIDE

Communications and Media a month and covers news,
busi ness, arts and entertainment
across Estonia, Latvia and
The three Baltic States have a highly developed communi- Lithuania. It includes weekly
cations network that is on a par with those of Western Europe. entertainment listings and infor-
Mobile phone usage is extre mely high and access to Wi-Fi is mation on concerts, exhibitions
widespread. It’s advisable to travel with a mobile phone as and films. In Your Pocket (around
public telephones no longer exist in Latvia or Estonia, and €1) provides comprehensive
and well-researched write-ups
there are very few public phones left in Lithuania. The flat
on everything from restaurants
terrain in the Baltic countries has always ensured good mobile and bars to nightclubs and
phone coverage, although you may discover the occasional shopping, as well as up-to-date
blind spot in the remoter areas. For long-distance calls, information on museum
international calling cards are readily available. The national opening times. Both
publications are widely
postal services are generally dependable and major available at kiosks and some
international couriers operate in all three countries.
retail outlets. Free listings
magazines come and go in all
Mobile Phones
widespread as they used to be. three capitals and are available
GSM mobile phone networks In smaller towns, those that still at hotel reception desks.
have complete coverage in the exist are signposted with an International editions of
Baltic States. The main mobile “@” sign. Some hotels have British and American news-
networks have partnerships business centres or PCs for papers and magazines, such as
with Western European service public use, but most presume The New York Times, International
providers such as Orange and that guests arrive with their Herald Tribune and The
Vodafone, so travelling with own devices. Economist, can be found in
your own phone is generally some news outlets in central
straightforward. Another Tallinn, Rīga and Vilnius.
option is to buy a prepaid SIM Postal Services
card from a local provider and Mail services in the Baltic
insert it into your own handset States are efficient and very Radio and Televsion
for relatively cheap calls and depend able. Post offices BBC Radio is easily found in
SMS rates. provide a range of services at all three Baltic countries.
However, roaming rules competitive postal rates. Mail Most other international radio
introduced in the European can be sent poste restante to stations can be easily accessed
Union mean that the cost of any post office in the Baltic via the web. Hotels of all kinds
making and receiving calls region, but a passport is continue to provide televisions
when abroad in the EU is now usually needed to collect it. in all rooms with access to
substantially cheaper than it Post offices sell cheaper the major international
used to be. The EU has imposed postcards than many shops. television stations, such as
maximum tariffs on all member the BBC, CNN and Euronews,
states for calls, texts and as well as sports and music
downloading. For travellers from Newspapers and channels. A few five-star hotels
outside the EU, high roaming Magazines are starting to introduce smart
charges will likely still apply. The Baltic Times is the only TVs that integrate entertain-
Contact your service provider to pan-Baltic, English-language ment and wirelessly stream
determine the rates. newspaper. It comes out once data from smartphones.
As of 2014, European operators
are not allowed to exceed the
following rates for mobile use:
€0.19 per minute for out going
voice calls; €0.05 per minute for
incoming voice calls; €0.06 per
SMS messsage for outgoing
texts; and €0.20 per megabyte
for online data downloads.
The Internet
Nearly all hotels have Internet
connections and many cafés
and restaurants have Wi-Fi
access, most of which is free.
Internet cafés are not as Customers at a newspaper kiosk in Ventspils, Latvia