Keeping in Touch in the Netherlands
Internet in the Netherlands
The Netherlands has the highest percentage of households with Internet connections in the European Union, as well as the highest broadband penetration. The group responsible for this distinction is the Broadband Expert Group (BEG), which was put into place by the Dutch government to promote the broadband economy. More than 100 companies provide Internet access in the Netherlands in a variety of forms.
The two leading forms are DSL and cable.
The major companies providing DSL are KPN, Orange, Tele2, and Tiscali Wholesale (a subsidiary of Tiscali). Leading provider KPN has five Internet service provider brands: KPN Internet, Direct ADSL, HetNet, Planet Telfort, and XS4ALL. For Internet access via DSL, you will need to have a DSL phone line installed.
A cable network, on the other hand, does not require a separate phone line and services are usually a bit cheaper. Cable service is often available in packages with cable television and telephone services. The big players in the cable network are Ziggo (which owns @Home, Casema, and Multikabel), UPC Netherlands, and Delta Kabel. There are also a number of small local Internet service providers.
Unfortunately, cable Internet is dependant on location, so customers are not able to choose their cable providers. Internet Protocol telephony (the ability to make phone calls at no extra cost) is another benefit of DSL or cable Internet, though this is still somewhat limited in the Netherlands.
Dial-up access is also available, though not nearly as popular as connection speeds are much slower. It can also become expensive as users are charged based on the time they are actually connected to the Internet.
Internet cafés and access centres are also abundant in the Netherlands. Libraries and public buildings offer computer access free-of-charge, and some business centres provide Internet access to the public.
- Recommended Service Provider:
Ziggo - excellent Internet/cable/telephone package. E-mail accounts are provided and Internet connection is fast and reliable.
Telecommunication in the Netherlands
KPN Telecom provides all fixed landline telephones in the Netherlands. Subscriptions of a minimum of one year are required and you must provide valid identification, an address, and a valid residence permit. A deposit of several hundred Euro, which will be refunded after making regular payment for a specified period of time, is another option.
ISDN and traditional lines are available, the latter of which can also be used for dial-up Internet access. Unlike traditional lines, ISDN allows for Internet access and telephone calls simultaneously – also making it the more expensive option.Phone companies under the KPN Telecom umbrella are OneTel, Tele2, Primus, BudgetPhone, and the cable companies Essent Kabelcom and UPC. These companies offer competitive call rates. Using cable networks to make phone calls is not common, though Twinner and UPC both offer low-priced packages for telephone calls through their networks.
The country code of the Netherlands is +31. This number is followed by 20 to make calls to Amsterdam, 10 for Rotterdam, 70 to call The Hague, and 30 for calls to Utrecht.
Telephone information is available in Dutch, English, French, and German. Cheaper rates are offered Monday-Friday from 8pm to 8am.
Public telephones only accept prepaid cards, which can be purchased at post offices, tourist (VVV) offices, newsagents, and any shop displaying a PTT telephone card poster. At train stations, a special calling card is needed which can only be purchased at the train stations. You can also buy prepaid international calling cards that allow you to call from fixed lines. These rates are usually offered at a 75 percent discount. International calling rates in general are very reasonable.
- Recommended Service Provider:
Ziggo - first company to have digital phone lines. Extremely cheap overseas calling rates allow expats to make frequent calls to family and friends back home without breaking the bank.
Mobile Phones in the Netherlands
The Netherlands has an extremely high percentage of mobile phone usage. There are roughly 13 million mobile phones in use among a population of 16 million people.
The five companies dominating the mobile phone industry in the Netherlands are KPN, Vodafone, Telfort, Orange, and T-Mobile. Universal roaming coverage is available from most mobile phone companies. Select phones also work on other networks overseas.
Another, more expensive, option is a satellite mobile phone. These phones can be used in most countries with any type of network and provide Internet access.
Phone services from other countries can also be used within the Netherlands, provided that the provider in question allows roaming. You can also opt to buy a Dutch SIM card for your phone as long as the phone is not locked by your service provider.
Rentcentre in Schiphol Airport and www.cellhire.net offer mobile phones for rent. A SIM card is needed, and users should be prepared to pay high call charges.
The two major calling plans available in the Netherlands are prepaid and contract. Costs depend on the average number of calls made, the time of day the calls are made, if the phone is used overseas, and whether calls are made to mobile phones or fixed phone lines. Contract plans typically have cheaper calling rates and include a pre-determined number of free calls over a certain period of time. While contract plans require a subscription fee, prepaid plans do not. They do, however, have a more expensive calling rate.
Many additional services are also available via mobile phone. These services include but are not limited to text messaging (SMS), email and Internet access, Multimedia Messaging Services (graphics, video, sound, and text messages of unlimited length), cameras, personal organisers, and various applications. Wi-Fi cards are also available for mobile phones.
In the Netherlands, it is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving unless it is used with a headset or car kit. Failure to abide by this law will result in heavy fines. Authorities may even confiscate the mobile device.
- Recommended Service Provider:
Postal services in the Netherlands
Post offices are open Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm, and on Saturday from 9am-12pm. Some post offices in major cities are open late on specified shopping nights (usually Thursday or Friday), and all-night post offices are found in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
Kiosks selling postcards and souvenirs, as well as most supermarkets, carry stamps in addition to the post offices. Mailing within Europe usually takes 2-5 days. Travel time for post going outside of Europe will vary depending on final destination.
Media and News in the Netherlands
CNN and the BBC are both broadcast to the Netherlands. Newspapers from a variety of different countries and in several languages can be found at any public library. An expat newspaper known as The Holland Times is also available via subscription or free at several locations in Amsterdam and The Hague.
Excellent news resources on the web in English include:
- Dutch Daily News
- Radio Netherlands Worldwide
- Dutch News
- NRC Handelsblad
