Communications

Alice Springs is a communications hub for Central Australia.

Telephones

Fixed line telephone services are available from Telstra (the Australian phone company, formerly fully government owned) within the Alice Springs town area, and all calls within the town are charged at local rates. Calls to other Australian areas are at standard STD rates. All fixed line phones in Alice Springs have the 08 prefix and begin with 895.

Mobile services are available via Telstra's Next-G network.

Mail

Australia Post provides the mail service in Alice Springs. Depending on whether items travel by air or by road delivery times may vary between next day (to other Australian cities) to up to a week. For urgent items Australia Post and numerous private companies operate courier services which can guarantee fast delivery.

Internet

Most fixed line phone services in Alice Springs can be connected to standard (512kps) ADSL, but availability can be dependent on location. Check first before renting or buying accommodation if ADSL availability is important to you. Internode, based in Adelaide, are reliable and reasonably priced, but there are plenty of providers who can provide ADSL in Alice Springs. A good place to look for the best deals (and get an idea of reliability) is Whirlpool. There is no ADSL2+ in Alice Springs as of mid-2007.