While you are getting to know your new country and making new friends it is still important to stay in touch with friends and family back home. Here is some basic information that will come in handy when contacting your country of origin.

• LOCAL TIME IN ICELAND IS GREENWICH MEAN TIME (GMT). -Meaning one hour earlier than British time in the summer (end of March - end of Oct.) and the same as British time in the winter. There is no daylight saving time in Iceland so there are no changes made on the clock as in many other countries.
• TO CALL INTO ICELAND - Dial +354 plus the phone number. No area code is necessary as all domestic calls are local.
• TO CALL FROM ICELAND - Dial 00 for an international line, then the country code followed by the area code and finally the phone number.
• For an English introduction to Iceland’s telephone system see the front pages of the telephone directory.
• CALLING HOME – Telephone service has recently been de-centralized in Iceland. Currently, the telephone service providers to choose from are: Síminn/Icelandic Telecom, Hive, Sko and Vodafone. All companies offer home service, cellular service for calling within Iceland and abroad, and internet service. Before choosing a provider check the offers and rates of all companies to find the one that is most suitable for you. Company branches can be found all around Iceland. Branches of Síminn and Vodafone can be found in shopping malls Kringlan (located in Reykjavík) and Smáralind (located in Kópavógur). For more information visit: www.siminn.is, www.vodafone.is, www.hive.is, www.sko.is
• INTERNATIONAL CALLING CARDS – Sometimes the cheapest way to call abroad is to use an international calling card.  There are several providers in Iceland.  The largest of the two being Atlassími and Heimsfrelsi.  These cards are sold all over Iceland in most grocery stores, bookstores, convenient stores, kiosks, and gas stations.
• SENDING/RECEIVING MONEY - To send money overseas or to receive money sent from overseas, the easiest, most economical and efficient services available in Iceland are Western Union and Money Gram. Landsbanki is now the official agent for Western Union in Iceland. The Western Union® Money TransferSM service is available at most Landsbanki locations. Money gram is located in the Kleif Travel Market on Bankastræti 2.
• SENDING/RECEIVING MAIL  – When sending and receiving regular mail or letters from home or to and from a post box, the simplest way is to use Pósturinn/Iceland Post. There are branches all over Iceland but the main branch is in downtown Reykjavik at Pósthússtræti 3-5. If you need to purchase stamps you may call               580-1050        or order them on-line at www.stamps.is.  Stamps are also sold in most bookstores, gas stations and in the grocery store Noatun.  For more information about postal rates, post boxes and opening times call               580 1000        or visit their website at http://www.postur.is/haht/English/index.html. Don’t forget to notify the post office regarding any changes of address.
• SENDING/RECEIVING PACKAGES – Pósturinn/Iceland Post also sends packages abroad but there are also a few international shipping companies here in Iceland. Services offered and prices vary so be a wise consumer and shop around. Other companies are DHL, tel.:               535 1100       , website: www.dhl.is and UPS, tel.:               420 0900       , website www.express.is.
• THE INTERNET – Many people today prefer using the internet to stay in touch. Until you get hooked up at home you may want to use a net café or find a place that offers free or inexpensive internet usage. The best place to find Internet access is in public libraries, some tourist information centers and in cafés that offer such service. For instance in Reykjavik at the coffee house in the town hall/Ráðhús.