Country code: 995. Some outgoing calls from Georgia, except to other parts of the CIS, must be made through the operator and long waits can occur. It is possible for visitors to set up an account with the local telecom company that enables them to make direct long-distance calls without the operator’s assistance. Many businesspeople and journalists now use satellite links to overcome the considerable problems of ordinary telephone communication. The Metekhi Palace Hotel is equipped with its own satellite phones.

Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. It is possible to hire mobile hand-sets from Geocell Ltd (website: www.geocell.com.ge). Coverage is good throughout the country, but there is limited coverage in the north west.

There are some Internet cafes in Tbilisi.

International postal services can be severely disrupted. Long delays may occur and parcels should be registered or delivered through courier services such as Air Express and DHL, based locally. It is advisable to post letters in central post offices rather than using the post boxes in the street.

Much of the Georgian media are considered to be free but there have been reports of journalists investigating corruption being harassed, and sometimes physically attacked. The outspoken private TV station Rustavi-2 has regularly angered the police and officials. The authorities operate the national state TV and radio networks.

• The daily press includes Sakartvelos Respublika (Republic of Georgia), which is state owned and Rezonansi (Resonance), which is private.
• Akhali Versia (New Version) is a weekly publication.
• Svobodnaya Gruzia (Free Georgia) is published in Russian.
• Georgian Times and Georgia Today are English-language weeklies.
• There are 200 privately-owned newspapers.
• Other foreign newspapers are available.

• Georgian State TV is state run.
• Rustavi-2, Imedi TV and Ajara TV (Batumi-based) are private channels.

• Stations include Georgian State Radio and private Tbilisi-based FM stations Fortuna and Radio 105.