Mobile phones cover almost 90 percent of the country and are transforming cultural habits. For security purposes, it is worthwhile having a Thuraya satellite phone, which can switch from mobile to satellite uplinks depending on signals. You don’t want to be stuck in a mountainous or desert part of the country without any form of phone access.
If you come with an American or European phone, be prepared to pay exorbitant roaming charges.
Even the poorest Afghan seems to have a phone these days. Text messaging is the most popular form of communication because it’s cheap, and to save money, many wait to be called. Every self-respecting Afghan has an email address even if no actual computer. Internet cafes exist in most towns.
