Living in your Florida property or on holiday in Florida – how to stay in touch
Whether you are on your well-deserved holidays in Florida or are living more or less permanently in the Sunshine State, you will want to stay in touch with what is happening in the world, with your family and friends back home, and with local events. Installing communication networks in your Florida property is relatively painless, and post is delivered daily but while a few Florida newspapers contain some world news, it tends to be rather limited.
Installing a landline telephone in your Florida property
In most towns and cities, a phone line can be installed in a Florida property within a matter of days. The network is very different to the UK because there are local telephone companies in each area who provide basic services to residential Florida property but each homeowner then chooses a company to provide long-distance calls. Calls outside your local area are known as Toll Calls.
Basic services, which include free local calls and a limited number of long-distance or international calls, generally start at less than $30 per month. Bundling plans that offer mixed services ie broadband internet and telephone calls, are available from many providers and may be better value than individual accounts for each service. Competition is strong, so it is worth shopping around for the service plan that best suits likely usage in your Florida property. All bills are payable monthly.
Among the online sites that compare offers and rates for telephone service are www.telecombeacon.com and www.bettertelephonerates.com.
The international access code is 011; to call the UK you dial 01144 plus the UK number (minus the first 0 of the area dialling code).
Living or on holiday in Florida – mobile phones
Many foreign owners of Florida property (and, increasingly, locals) decide not to have a landline and use only their mobile phone, or cell phone as it is called in the States. For anyone on holiday in Florida, a mobile phone is, of course, the only option. But not all phones used in the UK are compatible with the frequencies used by mobile networks in the USA. You will need either a Quad-band or Tri-band phone. Most large network providers have a page on their websites about using a phone abroad where you can check the compatibility of your phone.
Even if their phone is compatible, many of those who live much of the year in their Florida property decide to buy a phone in the USA and establish an account with an American phone network. An alternative, which may also be a worthwhile option for anyone who takes regular holidays in Florida, is to continue using an existing phone but swap the existing SIM card for an American SIM card. An American SIM card can be bought in Florida or you can purchase one in the UK from www.0044.co.uk which has coverage in nearly all parts of Florida. This arrangement works on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Living or on holiday in Florida – public telephone services
Phone boxes can be found on city centre street corners, most public buildings, post offices, railway and petrol stations, bars and restaurants but rarely in residential areas. Rates vary from public phones and can be high so always check the rate card.
Living or on holiday in Florida – postal services
As most owners of Florida property soon discover, the US government-owned mail service (www.usps.com) is not as efficient as that offered by telephone and hi-tech communication providers. An estimated 25% of mail is delivered late. In theory, next day delivery is offered within a city; a two-day delivery within 600 miles; and a three-day delivery over 600 miles. In practice, city-to-city mail is delivered quickest, regardless of the distances involved. Post is delivered to (and collected from) Florida property by Mail Carriers (postmen and women).
For those who do not own Florida property, or for those who may need to receive important documents while on holiday in Florida, a useful (and free) method of receiving mail is the ‘general delivery’ service. This is the equivalent of the poste restante service in Europe. Mail can be sent to any retail post office in Florida to await your collection within 30 days.
Most USPS post offices in urban Florida are open 9-5 Mon-Fri. Some also open on Saturday mornings. The largest offices do not close for lunch. In rural areas, some post offices open only in the mornings.
Internet access from your Florida property or cyber cafes
Choosing Internet access for your Florida property means plenty of choice. Quite a dizzying amount of choice, in fact. It is a phenomenally competitive market so there are ISPs offering packages suitable for all types of home, whether you use it only for holidays in Florida or for permanent living. Dial-up, cable and DSL options are available, and you will find most providers offer bundling packages to combine you tv, internet and phone services.
For those living in a Florida property without Internet access, or for Brits on holiday in Florida who want to stay in touch with family or office, cyber cafes are an option. However, there are not as many in Florida as in some other states. The going rate is about $5 an hour.
Tuning in to Florida radio
Florida’s airwaves are simply packed with radio stations. Most are overtly commercial and hard news or discussion can be hard to find. Music is the main ingredient and all tastes are catered to, from Top 40 hits to Caribbean or classical. To find those you can tune into from your Florida property, or while driving around on holiday in Florida, check out www.shgresources.com/fl/radio.
No Florida property is without at least one - Television
Americans are hooked on tv! This is perhaps the reason why there are so many hundreds of tv stations available. But quantity is not the same as quality, as overseas owners of Florida property soon discover. Indeed even after a two-week holiday in Florida, some Brits promise to never again complain about the licence fee back home!About 80 television channels are broadcast in Florida (see www.shgresources.com/fl/tv) and there are also numerous cable and satellite channels.
British and Florida newspapers
The Miami Herald is the most well-known Florida newspaper. Like most of the USA’s larger regional publications, it contains international, national and local news. Other large circulation Florida newspapers (including www.orlandosentinel.com, www.sun-sentinel.com and www.tampatrib.com) generally have limited interest in international affairs. There are more 100 local Florida newspapers keeping their residents up to date with events and happenings in their area.
For some Brits living in Florida property, this level of coverage of global and UK affairs is sufficient. Others suffer withdrawal symptoms, even during a two-week holiday in Florida! Newspapers can now, thankfully, be accessed online, but if the smell of the newsprint is essential to you, consider taking out a delivery subscription to your favourite British daily or Sunday.
