The United Arab Emirates has an excellent telephone network and local calls are free of charge. Emergency numbers are as follows (NB always check these numbers on arrival just in case they have changed):

Fire: 997

Police: 999

Ambulance: 999

The postal system does not deliver to individual homes, only to company PO boxes. Delivery usually takes no more than a couple of days and is considered reliable.

The majority of local television channels in the UAE are run by the government and broadcast in Arabic. Most expats find that satellite television is an essential luxury.