Staying Connected

Telephones

Etisalat (www.etisalat.ae) is the UAE's main telecommunications provider. A second provider, Du (www.du.ae), recently began offering service. Local calls in Dubai are free, except to cellphones. Direct dialing is possible to most countries. Pay phones are common in Dubai, and require prepaid phone cards widely available in supermarkets, gas stations, and other shops.

The international country code for the UAE is 971, and the city code for Dubai is 4. To call the UAE/Dubai:

1. Dial the international access code: 011 in the U.S., 00 in the U.K., for example.

2. Dial the country code: 971 for the UAE.

3. Dial the city code: 4 for Dubai, and then dial the number.

To call within the UAE: For calls within Dubai, omit the city code. For calls to other emirates, first dial 0 and then the city code: 2 for Abu Dhabi, 3 for Al Ain, and 6 for Sharjah. For calls to Etisalat cellphones, it is necessary to first dial 050. For calls to Du cellphones, it's necessary to first dial 055.

To make international calls: Dial 00 to get an international line, followed by the country code and the phone number.

For directory assistance: Dial 181 for Etisalat, and 199 for Du.

For an operator: Dial 100.

Cellphones -- Cellphones, commonly referred to here as "mobile phones" or "mobiles," are common in the UAE. Etisalat is the main network provider, and the prefix for calling Etisalat mobiles is 050 (rather than 4, which is the prefix for land lines in Dubai). If your own network provider does not allow roaming while in the UAE, you can use Etisalat's Wasel service. This allows you to use a prepaid Etisalat SIM card in your existing cellphone while in the UAE. A second cellphone network called Du (www.du.ae) recently began service in the UAE. The prefix for calling Du mobiles is 055. Both Du and Etisalat offer monthly or pay-as-you-go mobile service.

Voice-Over Internet Protocol (VOIP)

If you have Web access while traveling, consider a broadband-based telephone service (in technical terms, Voice over Internet protocol, or VoIP) such as Skype (www.skype.com) or Vonage (www.vonage.com), which allow you to make free international calls from your laptop or in a cybercafe. Neither service requires the people you're calling to also have that service (though there are fees if they do not). Check the websites for details.

Internet & Email

With Your Own Computer -- Emirates Internet and Multimedia (EIM) is responsible for Internet services in the UAE. Most Dubai accommodations have Internet access, and Wi-Fi is common in international hotels, but if you can't get service, you can connect to EIM's "Dial and Surf" service through your computer's modem using a regular phone or ISDN line. Just dial tel. 4/500-5555 to gain access, and the fee will be billed to the phone line you are using. Call the EIM help desk (tel. 800-6100) for more information.

Without Your Own Computer -- Most international hotels in Dubai offer business centers with Internet access. Note that certain websites are censored in the UAE.