Country code: 1. For emergency police, fire or medical services in major cities, dial 911. The following codes denote toll free (freephone) numbers: 800, 855, 866, 877 and 888

Foreign mobile telephones only work if they are tri-band or quad-band; charges are high. Visitors can also hire a mobile telephone. Pre-pay cell phones can be purchased from a variety of retail outlets, including drug stores.

There are Internet cafes in most urban areas, and an increasing number of Wi-Fi hotspots. Many coffee shops offer free Wi-Fi. Many of the international airports offer Internet access too.

There are numerous post offices throughout the states. Stamps can also be bought at stamp machines in hotels and shops. Airmail to Europe takes up to one week.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1630 (24 hours at main offices in larger cities).

Freedom of expression in the US is guaranteed by the constitution. The USA has the most highly developed mass media in the world. Public broadcasting is partly government-funded, but also supported by private grants.

• High readership papers include the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times.
• The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and the Washington Post are also popular.
• The high degree of self-government of each state means newspapers tend to be region specific.
• The USA publishes more newspapers than any other country.

Top TV networks include:
• ABC (American Broadcasting Corporation).
• CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System).
• CNN (Cable News Network).
• FOX (Fox Television Network).
• NBC (National Broadcasting Corporation).

National radio networks include:
• ABC Radio Networks.
• National Public Radio
• Fox News Radio.
• CBS operates Westwood One and American Radio Network.