telephone charges

25 September 2012, 19:41

larryshores

telephone charges

This may be in the wrong place. If so, I apologize.

On my last 2 safaris, I got cell phone bills of approximately $2,700 and $1,700 respectively. I started looking for a way to cut my costs.

AT&T has an app that cuts the cost from $1.99 a minute to $.39 a minute. If wifi is used, it cuts the costs to $.11 a minute.

There is also an app known as Viber. It allows texting and calling for free when wifi is available.

Might be worth looking into.

25 September 2012, 21:00

gunslinger55

What is the att app? Makes my sat phone look pretty cheap at $1.20 a minute

25 September 2012, 21:03

brent ebeling

If wifi available you can skype. I did on my last trip

25 September 2012, 22:04

African Hunters Quest

Larry
Did they use vaseline?

25 September 2012, 22:16

larryshores

Hardly. I landed in Atlanta and the bastards had turned off my data ability. It apparently made no difference that I paid every single bill timely for over 15 years.

I was not happy.

25 September 2012, 22:23

African Hunters Quest

What sort of charges would you be looking at using a rental Bgan and a VOIP connection to chat over?

25 September 2012, 22:35

larryshores

No idea.

I have a SAT phone that I own. It is something like $1.25 a minute. I have never attempted any data usage on the SAT phone.

I apparently should have turned off my data roaming on the i phone.

25 September 2012, 22:55

Use Enough Gun

There is also an app called Pinger that you can use. When I was in Europe in July/August I and my family used it. However, we had our i-phones left set on airplane mode(from the time that we left the U.S.) and only used it in
Wi-Fi areas. This resulted in no AT&T charges at all. When going to Africa, my i-phone is turned off in Atlanta and only turned on back in Atlanta. I use my Iridium there exclusively with all world minutes.

25 September 2012, 23:37

tendrams

quote:
Originally posted by larryshores:
This may be in the wrong place. If so, I apologize.

On my last 2 safaris, I got cell phone bills of approximately $2,700 and $1,700 respectively. I started looking for a way to cut my costs.

AT&T has an app that cuts the cost from $1.99 a minute to $.39 a minute. If wifi is used, it cuts the costs to $.11 a minute.

There is also an app known as Viber. It allows texting and calling for free when wifi is available.

Might be worth looking into.

Jesus.....did you keep your data updating constantly at roaming rates? If so......WHY? You could have bought a Sat phone for the latter bill and a couple thousand minutes with the first! If all of the above is chit chat, again why are you chatting when you should be hunting?

25 September 2012, 23:53

MtElkHunter

I agree with tendrams. You are on vacation... Leave the cell phones and sat phones off.. When I go on vacation I WANT to get away from the damn things! My family knows that no news is good news.

25 September 2012, 23:54

Frostbit

Call me old school. iPhones get turned off on departure from US and NEVER get turned back on until return.

We take a older sat phone (we own) and have a 700 minute package. Joyce calls her parental units to give them a thrill and on the last trip we probably called Darin Nelson more than anyone else because we were afraid she might go into withdraw.

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25 September 2012, 23:56

larryshores

In my business, I have to stay in touch. That is the unfortunate reality.

I had never had these type of charges before. rest assured that I turn the data roaming off now.

26 September 2012, 00:11

Frostbit

quote:
Originally posted by larryshores:
In my business, I have to stay in touch. That is the unfortunate reality.

I had never had these type of charges before. rest assured that I turn the data roaming off now.

I've know others that have gotten hammered as well. I have apps that look for updates and I don't know enough to trust that I can stop all the "data roaming" or what ever it's called. I just turn it all off.

Luckily I can leave the clinic behind mentally and physically.

26 September 2012, 00:14

pagosawingnut

Larry
Barring any conflicting schedules, would you loan me your phone next June when I go over?

Sorry, I couldn't resist.
I too have to stay in touch with my business when I am gone. I bought a Sat phone. Should have bought one several years back but they work pretty much where I'm at. Prepay a sim card for 500 minutes that are good for a year and hopefully get the usage out of 2 years before they expire.

26 September 2012, 00:56

D. Nelson

quote:
Originally posted by Frostbit:
... on the last trip we probably called Darin Nelson more than anyone else because we were afraid she might go into withdraw.

Jim; They call that "calling to rub it in"!!!

Darin

26 September 2012, 01:48

Frostbit

quote:
Originally posted by D. Nelson:
quote:
Originally posted by Frostbit:
... on the last trip we probably called Darin Nelson more than anyone else because we were afraid she might go into withdraw.

Jim; They call that "calling to rub it in"!!!

Darin

In the immortal words of Jack Webb, "Just the facts Ma'am"!!

26 September 2012, 04:50

Bwana338

Called my provider the past times i went to Africa. and went through the set up for my phone.

Paid on a per minute basis. from the date to date that i was in the countries i was traveling from and through.

I have used my phone in Tanzania, South Africa and did not have to use it in Zimbabwe.

I plug in the contact phone number of PH's, outfitters and rifle services just in case i need to call them.

As info, My sister's I phone did not work in Zimbabwe where she was told it would work...it did work in Joberg, South Africa though.

26 September 2012, 08:35

npd345

If you have an Iphone turn off the data and the location features. i bought a short term plan thru ATT for international use. Texts were free for in country texts and had a minimal charge to text back to USA. Pictures cost me about $1.50 each to dent in country or out. Calls to and from the states were .39 a minute. They told me any phone other than an IPhone would be considerably cheaper to use if I wanted to use Data.

They told me that if I didn't turn off the location and data features it would be approx $20 every time I turned my Iphone on as the Iphone seeks out the data and location for some of the apps.

My PH and I texted back and forth quite a bit while I was in the blind alone and I even texted him pics of a Kudu I was thinking was bigger than it was!

My total cell bill for the 16 days I was in country was just shy of $200.

26 September 2012, 09:22

timg953

I use viber to text with my Eva in Czech. When I went over to visit, I bought a sim card online that would work in europe and Africa. I stuck it in an AT&T go phone by pan tech(?)
And it worked fine. $.60 a minute to call the states and free texting. I used Skype to broadcast my radio show back from Prague. Due to my work I have to maintain contacts but I funnel them through my office and reply based on priority. I turn off my regular phone when I saddle up to cross the pond. I turn it on when I get back.

26 September 2012, 12:31

nickh

We just returned from 2weeks in Zimbabwe and I too need to be in total contact with my office for both voice and data. I took my bgan which works on Inmarsat satellite and the prepaid cost for data is $6 per MB for upload and downloads. I prepaid 80mb and it.s good for 2years. I can also make calls with t.he bgan as it comes with a plug in phone handset. Calls were around $1 a min. I also had my iridium handheld sat phone so had all the coms covered .the bgan worked a treat and speeds surprised us as the downloads were quite fast.i managed to do a couple of deals whilst on safari which was great!

Nick

26 September 2012, 15:42

338User

I am pretty sure a 410 gn Woodleigh Solid from my 416 Rigby, right in the dial, would put an end to any telephone charge you are likely to face.

26 September 2012, 15:42

338User

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

27 September 2012, 00:16

MtElkHunter

For everyone who HAS to stay in touch let me ask a question. What would your business do if you were involved in a car wreck and were in a comma for 10-14 days? Would your business go belly up? Would everything fall apart? Would someone die? If the answer is yes then I respectfully suggest your business plan should be modified so that your business can weather that kind of issue.

I work in a industry that requires 24X7 service and part of our business plan is that the business will continue if 1 or 5 or 10 key people suddenly dropped off the face of the planet. Yes this takes planning and some has some costs but if you are that important to the business then it should be that important to plan for your not being there. This is not even about going on vacation it is about what happens if you get run over by a truck going to work or run over by a charging buff on vacation it's all the same result.. You are not available for the business.
Just something to think about.

27 September 2012, 01:39

Duckear

quote:
Originally posted by MtElkHunter:
For everyone who HAS to stay in touch let me ask a question. What would your business do if you were involved in a car wreck and were in a comma for 10-14 days? Would your business go belly up? Would everything fall apart? Would someone die? If the answer is yes then I respectfully suggest your business plan should be modified so that your business can weather that kind of issue.

I work in a industry that requires 24X7 service and part of our business plan is that the business will continue if 1 or 5 or 10 key people suddenly dropped off the face of the planet. Yes this takes planning and some has some costs but if you are that important to the business then it should be that important to plan for your not being there. This is not even about going on vacation it is about what happens if you get run over by a truck going to work or run over by a charging buff on vacation it's all the same result.. You are not available for the business.
Just something to think about.

I think the type of person that 'has' to be in contact with work is more worried about missing out on a big deal or messing up a big deal in progress. Clients and partners understand missing a call while in a coma. Vacation? Not so much.

A 3K phone bill is nothing if it keeps a 3 million dollar project on track.

In some industries, one person IS the business.

Me?
iPhone went into airplane mode in Atlanta and it served as an iPod until we got home.

27 September 2012, 19:04

nickh

I think duckear nailed it pretty well. I run my own business and had several projects on the run when my safari came up. The fact I had coms available enabled me to close the deals so my next couple of safaris are now "in the bag"

Nick

27 September 2012, 20:26

gunslinger55

I am glad the only people I will be talking to, barring an emergency, is the people in camp.....

29 September 2012, 05:00

MikeE

Just went thru this too - I am the business, and the business is what pays for the safari.

Turned off data, kept phone in airplane mode. Emails only d/l four lines, when I turned the data on.

Biggest cost was my wife calling home every night to talk to our little one. No worries, it's only money!!!

01 October 2012, 01:59

jdollar

i can't believe anyone with an iPhone would not know to turn of data roaming, GPS updates,lost phone app, compass, etc.. they might have stung me once( although i took the time to learn better- took about 5 minutes) but they would never have stung me twice.... fool me once, shame on you- fool me twice, shame on me. i use AT&T international calling and simply turn off data roaming. if i am somewhere with wifi, i use Skpe- VERY cheap and easy

01 October 2012, 03:38

reddy375

I just bought a plan for about $1.60 / minute for my sat phone. Anyone know a cheaper plan. I had to buy 100 minutes minimum.

Thanks,
Arjun

02 October 2012, 00:15

Hunt the Sun

As an outfitter and ph, we need to be in contact. I suggest to all clients that they use skype and enable their phones to receive texts, failing that give your buiness (only important ones) connections your ph email address or sat phone no, you will be surprised how many camps have some sort of coms