Soldiers on operations are eligible for 30 minutes of telephone calls per week for deployments up to six months. In addition, providing the operational situation allows, they can have access to e-mail and SMS texts.

However, mobile phones are not allowed to be taken out to theatre because of operational security issues.

A specialist communications company provides most of the welfare phone and internet services in theatre and is constantly working to expand the availability of these services.

Family and friends of soldiers can also send Electronic Blueys (e-blueys), Photo Blueys and Fax Blueys. The fax bluey is a great way of sending pictures home or receiving pictures and it is printed out in colour.

Wherever possible these systems should allow electronic mail to be delivered in 24 hours, even to some of the more remote locations.

Where soldiers have access to a computer, they can also keep in touch via social networks like Facebook and MySpace, or by MSN messaging and e-mail.

Watch the video and learn about how these soldiers kept in touch with their loved ones at home.