Telephone Services & Networks in Finland

Emergency Services 112
Police 10022
Directory Enquiries 118 or 020202 (24hrs)

Landline / Regular Phone Services
Mobile / Cell Phones in Finland
Finnish Telephone Networks / Operators
Prepaid Mobile Services
International Calls from Finland
International Country Codes
Calling on the Internet

Please note: any information on charges and prices given on this page is subject to change.

Landline / Regular Phone Services in Finland

Contact Elisa Communications regarding installation of landlines.

For a home phone, you pay a non-recurring subscription price of € 99* and continue with monthly fees of € 12,45 + call charges. The local call rate (12¢/call + 1¢/min) at all times. You will also receive telephone directories and free-of-charge services including Caller ID, Call Forwarding & Call Waiting.
*if an installer has to visit your home there will be an additional charge.

Mobile / Cell Phones in Finland
(matkapuhelin, kännykkä, känny)

There is no "set-up fee" for a mobile phone in Finland so this can be the cheapest way to get started. However, you may have to make an advance payment, and you will also have to buy a phone! Mobile service (GSM) operators also sell telephones; you may be able to buy a decent second-hand model for a very low price, or a new phone from about € 70 upwards depending on features. Unlike some countries you will not find a telephone "thrown in" with your subscription in Finland. If you or a friend speak Finnish, try huuto.net* if you're looking for a second-hand phone.
(*huuto.net is the Finnish equivalent of Ebay, and very handy for buying anything second-hand!)

If you are a foreigner without an established credit history in Finland you will probably be required to pay an advance payment to open a mobile phone line. This can be substantial (perhaps € 500). However, if you pay your bills on time, the amount is fully refundable when a) you cancel the service, or b) the "trial period" of up to 2 years is over.

Mobiles are a reasonably cheap way of communicating, particularly if you use text messages (SMS) rather than actually calling. SMS, local call and international call rates vary significantly between operators. Shop around for the best deal, and keep an eye out for special promotions which are becoming more common as competition increases.

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Finnish Telephone Networks / Operators

The following list is not complete; the Finnish operator market is changing rapidly so if there is a company missing which you would like to recommend, or if you find a broken link, please let us know.

Prepaid Mobile Services in Finland

It is now possible to obtain a prepaid phone card in Finland through operators such as Radiolinja, Sonera and DNA. Starting packages, which normally cost around € 50 and include € 40 worth of airtime, are available through outlets such as R-Kioski. Simply buy a package, install the included SIM card in your mobile phone, key in the PIN and PUK codes provided and you can start making calls. Your new phone number is included with the package. You will be alerted when your airtime is running out, and then "recharge" the subscription with a voucher from a prepaid dealer. You can also reload airtime from the Internet.

Prepaid packages are a very attractive way to get started with a mobile phone service; the downside is that the charge per minute is comparatively high and you are unable to make international calls.

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International Calls from Finland

Regardless of the operator you subscribe to for your regular service, you can choose which operator you would like to handle individual international phone calls. Operators' rates per minute vary dramatically. Not only that but one operator may have cheap rates to one country while their rates to another country are comparatively high. Check the operators' sites above for their rates to various countries; you may find one that will allow you to "phone home" regularly at a great saving. Please note that you have to add the local network charge to the prices given on the Web pages. Sometimes the prices are given without the 22% tax.

To call with a different operator: Normally when making an international call from a mobile phone you key the + sign first; this simply specifies that the call will be placed through your regular operator. Instead, key in the prefix of the operator you want to handle the call*. For example 991 (Saunalahti), 990 (Sonera) or 999 (Elisa). Then dial the country code, the area code and the actual phone number as usual.
*some operators require you to register - check their sites for details

Ex: 999 (Elisa prefix) 61 (country code) 2 (area code) 9234 5678 (number)

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Calling on the Internet

The cheapest way to make calls is to use your computer. You will need a soundcard, a microphone and speakers/headphones, or a headset. Those are pretty cheap these days, and already built into most laptops. Sound quality is constantly improving and these days it's more than adequate, even if you're calling the opposite side of the world on an average connection.

Skype is the leader in this field and works really well. It's very easy to download and install - literally takes a few minutes - and if you have a web-cam the latest version includes video capabilities.

Apart from being extremely cool for all of you with friends and family on the other side of the planet, many companies are also implementing Skype as a way to reduce their phone bills. The latest version of Skype works on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and PDAs (Pocket PC).

Nearly all programmes for Internet calls work on the same procedure:

1. Fill in the user registration at the Web site
2. Download the programme
3. Buy "phone" time (in some cases PC to PC calls are free)
4. Make the call

The following sites have received positive feedback:

• http://www.skype.com (Highly recommended!)
• http://www.net2phone.com
• http://www.go2call.com
• http://www.callserve.com
• http://voice.yahoo.com
• http://www.phonehog.com

Talk FREE worldwide with SKYPE!

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