A guide to telephone, internet and television along with utility services water, electricity and gas in the Netherlands.

Utilities
In many cases, the utilities (gas, water and electricity) are already connected and you just have to have them transferred in your name. If you are paying an inclusive rent, check your contact carefully for what is covered.

Water
There are two elements to water payments: a consumption charge based on actual water usage (which is estimated if you don't have a meter) and a municipal tax for services (sewage, pollution etc). To see which water company covers your area, visit www.vewin.nl or ask at your local gemeente.

Amsterdam: Waternet: 0900 9394
Den Haag/Leiden: Duinwaterbedrijf Zuid-Holland: 079 347 1515
Rotterdam: Evides 010 293 5000
Utrecht: Vitens 0900 0650

Electricity and gas
The energy market is liberalised so you are able to choose (or change) suppliers. Most have ’green‘ options, where energy is bought from alternative sources such as wind, water and biomass. Regulatory authorities ensure fair practices and tariffs. On the website of the Office of Energy Regulation (www.dte.nl) there's a complete list of gas and electricity suppliers (Energiebedrijven...wie is wie...register vergunninghouders).

Main suppliers:
Dong Energy (www.dongenergy.nl)
Eneco (www.eneco.nl)
Essent (www.essent.nl)
Greenchoice (www.greenchoice.nl)
Nuon (www.nuon.nl) (main supplier for Amsterdam)
OXXIO (www.oxxio.nl)

Communication
There is huge range of options from many suppliers with combination deals of telephone (bellen), internet (surfen) and TV. You then just pay a monthly fee.

Telephones
KPN is still the main supplier for landlines. The easiest way to get connected is often to visit a KPN Primafoon shop with appropriate identification and they can set it up. There are many additional services such as voicemail, call waiting, discount for favourite numbers etc and deals in combination with the internet and TV. For really cheap international calls though, you can have calls charged via a cheaper provider.  For instance, you rent the line from KPN but the calls go through Tele2, for example, or register with bell1649 (www.bel1649.nl) or you can use an international calling card which you can buy from independent call shops. In all these cases, you key in a combination of codes before dialling overseas. Internet telephony (such as Skype) is becoming more common. To use a public phone you'll need to buy a phone card from a supermarket or newsagent.

Mobile telephones
The cheapest deal for a mobile will be via a contract (abonnementen) with one of the main suppliers. Shop around or compare the latest rates on www.bellen.com (in Dutch). You'll need proof of address and income and a bank account to sign a deal. A prepaid phone is more expensive but you can top it up with cards from supermarkets. If your phone is unlocked, you can buy a Dutch SIM. Every phone has a unique IMEI serial number (enter *#06# to find out yours). You'll need this when reporting a stolen phone.

0800 numbers are toll free; 0900 numbers are charged (per call or minute)

Internet
All kinds of dial-up, ISDN, ADSL and cable options are available which can be combined with telephone and TV deals. Depending on the current TV channel deals, you might go for a TV option from one supplier and telephone/internet from another. You can compare deals at www.internetten.nl. It will take about five days to set up. There are internet cafes dotted about and many more with WiFi. If you are in Amsterdam, you can go to the central library (www.oba.nl)  which offers free internet and fabulous views.

Television
Cable TV is cheap and widespread. The main provider is UPC and included in the standard package are BBC 1, BBC 2, BBC World and CNN alongside Dutch channels which include the government-owned Nederland 1, 2 and 3 and RTL 4, 5, 7. You’ll also receive Veronica, Net 5 (quality films and drama including popular US serials), National Geographic and the Discovery Channel. Local TV channels are another option. For Amsterdam it is AT5: Mayor Job Cohen chats on Thursdays. Subtitling, rather than dubbing, is used except for children's TV. For more films, sport, or other interests, you can select different options for an extra payment. Check out www.digitelevisie.nl for coverage in your area (by postcode) or compare prices at www.vergelijkdigitv.nl or at any of the suppliers. You get a media box and then pay for your chosen option. Satellite TV is also possible but you will need to be able to fix a dish facing in the right (southern) direction and (of course) there are regulations. 

Radio
Radio Netherlands (www.rnw.nl) has programming in English. Listening online is becoming more popular with digital growth.

Suppliers
You generally pay every quarter.

CanalDigitaal: www.canaldigitaal.nl
KPN: www.kpn.com
Planet.nl: www.planet.nl
Scarlet : www.scarlet.nl
Tele2: www.tele2.nl
Telfort: www.telfort.nl
UPC: www.upc.nl
UPClive: www.upclive.nl
Ziggo: www.ziggo.nl

Satellite
www.tvfromhome.nu

Phones/Internet
www.hetnet.nl
www.kpn.nl
www.orange.nl
www.t-mobile.nl
www.telfort.nl
www.xs4all.nl
www.vodafone.nl

Useful websites
Advice: www.access-nl.org
Film: www.filmladder.nl
Government info: www.overheid.nl
Opera: www.dno.nl
Restaurants: www.iens.nl
Royal family: www.koninklijkhuis.nl
Social networking: www.hyves.nl
Weather: www.hetweer.nl
Website links – by category: www.startpagina.nl
What's on: www.evenementkalender.nl
Yellow pages (English section): www.goudengids.nl
White pages: www.detelefoongids.nl 

Tip: If the surname you are looking for begins with a de, van, van der, etc. you must look under the name that follows. IJ is read as a "y" and therefore is listed at the end of the alphabet.

Setting up home
HEMA (www.hema.nl) is a Dutch Institution for all matters household. Blokker is cheap (www.blokker.nl) and lKEA (www.ikea.nl) is opening more branches in the Netherlands.

Post offices

Post offices are marked with an orange sign that says postkantoor or TNT Post. In some villages and neighbourhoods there are small post offices inside shops, newsagents or tobacconists (postagentschap).

Stamps can be bought in all of the above places and in some of the larger supermarkets. Post-boxes are red and are scattered throughout shopping areas and neighbourhoods. On the post-box there are two slots: the left is for delivery within the city limits (streekpost), the right (overige bestemmingen) is for post delivered outside the city.

Note: for mail outside of the Netherlands you have a choice of Priority or Standard Post. Rates for Priority service are slightly higher, as it is a quicker service. There is also a guaranteed next day delivery inside the Netherlands called Garantiepost.

TNT Post Client Service (National)
058 233 3333
www.tntpost.nl (Dutch)