It is indeed pragmatic and only prudent to ascertain the various means of communication available in a country before you visit it, lest you might find yourself more shocked than surprised while struggling to connect with family, friends and staying up-to-date with the global news etc.

In this context, India is gratefully well-equipped with all the means of communications, at par with the rest of the world. Right from postal services, telegraph, telephones to fax and Internet – you name it and it is available in India almost across its margins, rendering the country well-connected within and beyond. In fact, presence of various state-of-the-art communication technologies renders India an easy place to roam about and explore. Here is a gist of helpful information on the various modes of communication available in India that may come handy to stay in touch with the world: -

Telephone

India owns a highly sophisticated and evolved network of telephone lines throughout its borders. The ISD code of the India is 91. The international access code to connect an ISD call from India is 00, followed by the ISD code of the country where you wish to call to, and further followed by area code and local number. There are plenty of public booths for making all types of calls, including local, STD and ISD calls. Besides, vast cellular network connectivity present in India. It is, in fact, recommended to buy and activate a local SIM card, so as to utilize the powerful and pervasive cellular network available in India, in a jiffy.

Internet

At present, almost the entire urban India, comprising of four metropolitans, and a host of other cities and towns, has internet connectivity. In fact, almost each household in urban India enjoys access to high speed internet connection, and the facility is fast reaching the rural/ hinterlands of India. Not to mention, there is a rampant presence of cyber cafes in the smaller cities, so as to enable you to surf internet and check e-mails etc. even if you are not carrying a laptop/ smart phone and sans burning a hole in your pocket.

Fax

Fax services are available all around the country. All telegraph offices in the cities have facilities to receive fax and are open 24 hours a day. Most public telephone booths and stationary shops also have these services. They may cost a bit more than what the Government offers.

Telegraph

All major towns and cities have telegraph offices that provide good service. These telegraph offices are run by the Government and provide good services at affordable price. Most of these offices are open round the clock, ready to help those in need. Postal Services The Indian Postal Services are excellent compared to other countries. Letters are delivered to their respective destinations always on time. Registered mail is necessary only if you intend to send valuables. The Indian postal service also offers Airmail services to Europe, Australia and Africa takes almost a week. For America, it takes a little longer than a week say around 10 days. All major towns have Speed Post facilities. Almost all towns have Courier services. If anyone is going to write to you, tell the person to write his/her name and address in big bold capital letters that can be read easily. Letters unclaimed for a month are usually sent back. The addressee's name and other contact details should also be clearly written to avoid any confusion. The postal offices also provide telegram services to those places where facilities like telephone and Internet are not available.