Everything you need to know, and something things you don’t, about buying and using a cell phone in Namibia

GSM. CDMA. MTC. GPRS. 3G. WTF?

Phones are not for calls• Calls

– Expensive, usually more than $1/min– Missed calls

• SMS– 40c per (N$1 to USA, only AT&T and T-Mobile)– Free SMS plans– Creepy SMSs

• Internet– Read news, email– Research

• Applications– Games– Chat

The many uses of a mobile phone

Contract or Tango?• Contract

– Usually requires 2 year commitment.

– Very few people have one• Tango

– Prepaid, recharges available everywhere

– Unlocked phones can be used all across Africa and Europe

– Beating VAT with Metro– Includes free SMSs

•MTC – Most coverage – GSM (SIM Card)– Most widely use– Many free SMS options– No contract required

• CellOne – Less coverage, but still GSM – Sometimes cheaper calls– New competitor– Endorsed by Gazza– No contract required

• Telecom – Poor coverage, uses CDMA (No SIM card)– No one really uses it.

• El Cheapo • Internet Phones• Bluetooth Phones• Smart Phones

Phones

El Cheapo

• Pros– Makes calls– Sends SMS

• Cons– That’s about it– Sometimes lacking

important features– Sometimes hard to

use/confusing

Internet Phones• Internet phones (Likely Nokia, Sony Ericsson) ← Best Buy

– $700-$1100– Everything the El Cheapo has PLUS:– GPRS capable– Browse websites designed for phones and some web based

email.– Google wireless trans coder– Camera– Downside: Usually can't link with laptop.

• Bluetooth Phones (Likely Nokia, Sony Ericsson)– $1400+– Everything the Internet phone has PLUS:– Link up with Bluetooth capable laptop for internet– Sometimes 3G for faster internet (only in very major towns)– Email client– Sometimes a music player, memory card slot

Smart Phones• $3000++

• Definitely 3G

• Bigger, more memory, maybe GPS (Nokia N95).

• Sometimes full keyboard

• Big downside: Uncomfortable to use in social situations.

Your American Phone• Needs to be at least tri-band.

Quad band phones will have better coverage

• Needs to be unlocked. Some small shops do this.

• Many of your old carrier specific features may not work. Extensive reprogramming sometimes required

• No more Newsweek :-(• Read popular publications worldwide:

– BBC News, Reuters, New York Times– ABC/NBC/Fox News– Wall Street Journal– Slate– Wikipedia– The Onion

• FaceBook • Look up recipes and other useful info.• Email using built in client, provider's webmail or

Google's java client• Java Application support

– Chat online with eBuddy (AOL, MSN, Yahoo)– www.gmail.com/app– Google maps application– Self Plug: NamGuide

The Internet and Your PhoneThe case for not cheaping out