MCI and AT&T services are available. Public telephones do not accept coins; they accept télécartes, prepaid calling cards that you can buy at the gas station next to the airport and at post offices in Lorient, St-Jean, and Gustavia. Making an international call using a télécarte is much less expensive than making it through your hotel.

If you bring a cell phone to the island and wish to activate it for local use, visit St. Barth Eléctronique across from the airport. You can also buy an inexpensive cell phone with prepaid minutes for as little as EUR 20, including some initial air time. Many hotels will rent you a local-service cell phone; ask the manager or concierge.

The country code for St. Barths is 590. Thus, to call St. Barths from the U.S., dial 011 + 590 + 590 and the local six-digit number. Some cell phones use the prefix 690, in which case you would dial 590 + 690. For calls on St. Barths, you must dial 0590 plus the six-digit local number; for St. Martin dial just the six-digit number for the French side, for the Dutch side (Sint Maarten) dial 00-599-54 plus the five-digit number, but remember that this is an international call and will be billed accordingly. To call the United States from St. Barths, dial 001 plus the area code plus the local seven-digit number.

Information

• France Télécom (Espace Neptune, St-Jean. 0590/27-67-00)
• St. Barth Eléctronique (St-Jean. 0590/27-50-50)

To call the US dial 00-1 followed by the area code and number.

From the US to Saint Barth dial 011-590+ 590+number. (That's right, 590,590)

To call France, dial the telephone number.

Your cell phones will work in St. Bart. On arriving, press "00" and you will be assigned a local telephone number. Charges typcially run $3.00 a day for this service and telephone charges run approx $3-$4 per minute depending on the time of day and whether it is an incoming or outcoming call. These charges will be billed to your credit card. If you have two cellphones to bring, it would be wise to bring both - one may not work but the other may... Don't be upset if you can't register for service during the day - easiest at night...

Also best service is achieved on the St. Martin side of the island.