Keeping in touch
Keeping in touch via the Internet
Internet@home
For your internet connection at home, there are two ways of connection: through your telephone cable (ADSL) or through your television cable connection.
Internet@UGent
Check out the webpages of the ICT Department.
Internet on location
In addition to the internet facilities provided by the university, all across Ghent you will find spots where you can access the World Wide Web. Besides the specialised, fully-equiped cybercafés, you will also find some smaller pubs where you can browse the internet or make international phone calls. Some larger pubs are internet 'hot spots' (wireless access). Also, the public library offers internet access.
Interesting tip: Ghent has installed information pillars on different locations in the city. On these, you can browse city and tourist information, and even send an e-mail.
A new development are the USB cellular (or 'mobile') modems that use a USB port on the laptop. Most of the GSM cellular modems come with an integrated SIM cardholder. The cost of using a cellular modem varies from country to country. Some carriers implement "flat rate" plans for unlimited data transfers. Some have caps (or maximum limits) on the amount of data that can be transferred per month. Other countries have "per Megabyte" or even "per Kilobyte" plans that charge a fixed rate per Megabyte or Kilobyte of data downloaded.
Sending messages via internet
Voice-over-IP
A new and cheap way of making international calls, is to use the Voice-over-IP: a general term for a family of transmission technologies for delivery of voice communications over IP networks such as the internet.
Specific software has been developped. With this software you can use your internet connection to make international calls to fixed and mobile telephone numbers. You only need a headset with a microphone.
- 'Skype':
you can only make calls after you have charged your Skype credit
account with your credit card or free of charge to people in your
contact list.
- 'Voipwise': free calls to certain countries.
- ...
Chat and Instant Messaging
Instant messaging (IM) are technologies that create the possibility of real-timetext-based communication between two or more participants over the internet or some form of internal network/intranet. In certain cases Instant Messaging involves additional features, which make it even more popular, i.e. to see the other party, e.g. by using web-cams, or to talk directly for free over the internet.
- Pidgin - the universal chat client
- MSN
- Google Talk
- ...
Telephone
Phone boxes
Silver and blue coloured phone boxes are located around Ghent (mostly in the vicinty of public sites such as main transport stations, or near the administrative buildings). Nowadays most phone booths can only be operated if you have a telephone card or a bank card with PROTON.
Mobile phones
Mobile phones are widely used in Belgium. You can easily bring your own phone and buy a pre-paid sim card at one of the many phone companies. However, before you do so, please check the specifications of your phone to see if it will work in Europe ('roaming feature'). You can also get a mobile phone when subscribing to a mobile phone provider. But please note that, before being able to get a subscription, you need to have a bank account, an address and a residence permit card (if applicable).
Ghent University has negotiated an interesting deal with Proximus, that offers a discount on the pre-paid cards to all UGent employees.
Fixed telephone connection
There are two main providers of fixed telephone lines in Belgium: Belgacom and Telenet.
Even if you have a subscription from one of the two providers, you can use an alternative provider for your telephone calls by dialling a pre-selection code.
Phone calls within Belgium
Phone numbers are made up of 9 or 10 digits. The first 2 or 3 digits make up the area code, e.g. in 09 210 10 10, "09" is the area code of Ghent.
When using an UGent office phone to call a UGent colleague, you may drop the 09 264. In many cases you must dial "0" to get an external line.
International calls
With international calling cards you can phone abroad for a much lower rate. The cards can be bought in various internet cafés and calling card shops in Ghent. It is also much cheaper to phone to an international fixed telephone connection than to an international mobile phone.
- International calls from Belgium
Example: dialling +31 (0)71 527 72 87 = dial 0031 71 527 72 87.
"+" stands for international dialling code. The access code for international dialling from Belgium is "00".
In this example "31" is the code for the Netherlands.
- International calls to Belgium
Example: dialling +32 (0)9 210 10 10 from outside Belgium = dial your international dialling code, then 32 9 210 10 10.
"+" stands for your international dialling code.
"32" is the country code for Belgium.
"(0)" you must omit this zero when dialling from outside Belgium.
Looking for a telephone number? Call the information service:
- National information: 1207
- International information: 1204
Postal and shipping services
Postal offices
Post offices offer a wide range of services. You can purchase stamps, postcards and bus passes. In some cases, it is possible to wire money. Furthermore Bank van de Post, operating as an actual bank, is located there. Post offices are open every weekday (opening hours may vary) - some offices open on Saturday as well.
For more information check http://www.post.be/site/nl/index.html (available in Dutch, French and German).
Postpunt
The Post also offers smaller offices, or 'Postpunt', within a local shop or public place.
Letter boxes
Letters can be sent by depositing them in the red letter boxes found on the street.
Shipping services
For the latest information on the shipping of goods and a list of specialist transport and removal companies, see the yellow pages online.
