Telephone International phone calls are obviously cheaper
if you use private phone companies. You can either use one
of the many international call centres or a prepaid card.
Costs vary significantly, it pays to do some comparative
research. In emergencies dial 110 for the police and 112 for
the fire brigade or medical care. The call is for free,
but abuse of this service is severely punished.
Access to internet
In Germany, internet access is often possible via a university
or school. If not, all major cities offer numerous internet
cafes. Some pubs and coffee shops also offer internet
access .
German newspapers
There are an enormous number of newspapers and magazines
in Germany. Due to the country's federal nature, local
papers are surprisingly popular. 'Bild' offers news with a focus on the scandalous
and gossip. Faz ('Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung')
is respected for its in-depth coverage of political and
cultural news. The weekly publication 'Die Zeit'
is excellent, even though you will need more than a week
to actually read it.
Many German coffee shops offer a large selection of newspapers
for customers to browse.
Some kiosks, esp. at train stations, offer a wide range of
international newspapers as well.
German magazines 'Der Spiegel' and 'Focus' are weekly glossy
magazines covering politics, sports and culture alike.
'Der Stern' is the third major general interest
magazine.
The number of special interest magazines is enormous.
Just browse and you are sure to find something to suit
your taste!
German TV & radio
ARD, ZDF and 3 Sat are traditional public
broadcasting organisations ("öffentlich-rechtlich").
Sat1, Pro 7, RTL and RTL 2 are just
some of a number of popular commercial broadcasting organisations.
Arte as its name suggest focuses on high-quality
films, the arts, lifestyle and documentaries.
Cable television is widespread in Germany's households.
The number of radio channels is high and varies
throughout the country. Free radio stations complicate
the situation: Just turn on the radio and search until
you find something you like.
