Guide Telephone, Mobile telephone, Fax, Telegram and Post Spain

Telephone: IDD is available. Country code: 34. Outgoing international code: 00. Area codes are incorporated within a nine digit number. The following are a selection of codes for major centres: Madrid 91, Alicante 96, Balearic Islands 971, Barcelona 93, Benidorm 96, Bilbao 94, Granada 958, Las Palmas 928, Málaga and Torremolinos 95, Santander 942, Seville 95, Tenerife 922 and Valencia 96.

The telephone service is controlled mainly by Telefónica which owns several other companies (including Terra and Teleline).

When you get your telephone installed expect a fee of about 150 Euros to be charged for this service. A cheaper alternative (if there is an existing account) would tbe to get the account transferred. This will cost you about 40 Euros.

To have a telephone installed or reconnected, you must visit the local Telefónica office. Take along your passport or residence card (residencia), proof of your address and a copy of your property deed (escritura) or rental contract. If you're renting and don't have a residence permit (residencia) you must pay a deposit of around 200 Euros

Peak hours: from 0800 to 1700 hours from Monday to Friday and 0800 to 1400 on Saturdays
Normal: from 1700 to 2200, Monday to Friday.
Reduced: from 2200 to 0800 Monday to Friday, 1400 to 2400 on Saturdays and all day on Sundays.

Mobile telephone: GSM 900/1800 networks available. Roaming agreements exist with all major networks. Coverage is good throughout the country. Main network providers include Airtel (website: www.airtel.es), Telefonica (website: www.movistar.tsm.es/home.htm) and Retevision (website: www.retevision.es).

Fax: Most post offices have services. Facilities are also generally available at 4- and 5-star hotels, especially those catering for the business and conference traveller.
Internet: There are a variety of internet cafés in most urban areas. Main ISPs include World Online Empresa

Dial up internet is free in spain, until you get your phone bill. Your local calls are not free and will cost you by the minute.

This can be avoided by paying for a flat-rate service with the ISP (internet service provider) rather than pay for local calls. The rates of course depend on whether you use the service at peak or off-peak times.

The flat rates do not vary much from company to company and have various plans depending on how often you use the service.

Telegram: Facilities are available at main post offices. A 24-hour service is available in Madrid at Plaza de Cibeles; in Barcelona at Plaza Antonio Lopez; in Bilbao at 15 Calle Alameda Urquijo.
Post: There are efficient internal and international postal services to all countries. Airmail within Europe usually takes around five days. Poste Restante facilities are available at main post offices.