This has been discussed before. However, I would like to point out a few things.

In the RSA the charge is $25 per every 100 MB used. In Zim it is $20.48 for EVERY MB used.

I tried to buy WIFI in the Harare airport. It didn't work. I had a message I had to have. I turned data roaming on. In about 2 minutes, Verizon cut me off as I had accumulated $500 in data charges in Zim.

Beware.

Larry

Was taking to the ceo of Globalsat - next year their they are going to have a $100 device that will give you wifi access. He said prices will be very reasonable for normal useage - cant stream movies ect.

Mike

Data roaming can burn through a lot of MB's of data very quickly as Larry points out. One way to minimize the amount of data roaming is making sure that only the app you need to use (ie. mail) is enabled when you turn on data roaming.

Don't know about other phones but on Iphones you go to "Settings", "Celluar" and go to the bottom of that page where all the apps that you have are listed and whether or not data roaming is enabled for them.

Depending on how you set things up when you downloaded the app, a lot of apps will transmit information if data roaming is on even if you are not actively using the app in question.

Suspense is killing me.

After it was all said and done, was it a $500 message?

quote:

Originally posted by Duckear:
Suspense is killing me.

After it was all said and done, was it a $500 message?

Absolutely!

I was in HArare last month and was able to access free wifi at the airport! It was a first for me , but it was reliable and quite fast, surfed the web, got emails for over an hour for free!!

Cheers

Nick

Nick:

I found the same thing after all of this occurred.

Larry,
We have had Our outfitters (CMS ) arrange for a prepaid local SIM card with data for us previously as well. Cost was negligible and we were able to use it every couple of days on the safari when in range.
The data charges they slug external users is quite obscene! Even phone calls are double what my sat phone cost is!

Cheers

Nick

My wife and I also must have access to email for business while in SA or Zim, we now take a BGAN unit from Andy Cool, not real expensive and works great. However, on one trip my wife used her ipad to receive and reply to quite a few emails and was rewarded with a bill in excess of $2700.00, most of which was forgiven.

Karl

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

quote:

Originally posted by Duckear:
Suspense is killing me.

After it was all said and done, was it a $500 message?

Absolutely!

I had the same issue at Zim. I got a call from AT&T that I was spending too much money on roaming. I called them and they verified that my global data package did not cover Zim. They told me to call in after the bill arrived and they'd rescind the charges.

I called and they rescinded $450 charge for roaming at Zim. Basically they treated it as if it was covered.

quote:

Originally posted by tanks:
I had the same issue at Zim. I got a call from AT&T that I was spending too much money on roaming. I called them and they verified that my global data package did not cover Zim. They told me to call in after the bill arrived and they'd rescind the charges.

I called and they rescinded $450 charge for roaming at Zim. Basically they treated it as if it was covered.

I just returned last week from three weeks in Zimbabwe.
Verizon, "forgot" to turn on my international feature. I was forced to turn on data as I missed a connecting flight to Bulawayo from Jo'burg. I contacted my wife as well as the folks picking me up in Bulawayo using data. Verizon activated my phone on day three of the trip. The resulting charges from data usage in two days was $880.00 which Verizon due to their mistake gladly erased.
What strikes me odd is that the international phone rates in Zimbabwe is much less with Verizon than South Africa. Cents a minute in Zim opposed to dollars a minute in South Africa?

The new wifi satellite product from Globalstar will be a hit. Allow you to create a hotspot off satellite - can use your smart phone and Skype and talk to anyone.

Should be very similar to 4g hotspots currently sold by the phone companies.

Its should cost less than $100 and charges per min of use. I will def get one.

Mike

quote:

Its should cost less than $100 and charges per min of use

any idea cost per min

Originally posted by Beretta682E:
"The new wifi satellite product from Globalstar will be a hit. Allow you to create a hotspot off satellite - can use your smart phone and Skype and talk to anyone.

Should be very similar to 4g hotspots currently sold by the phone companies".

I looked at their coverage map and it appeared Southern Africa lacked coverage...so I called and was told as much, but they are working on it. Oh well.

Karl

I will check with company and get back on coverage. I know they opened a facility in Botswana recently for Southern Africa.

The product is not out on the market but should be in 2015. My guess on per min - just my pure guess is it will be cheaper than typical sat phone charges. The idea is to move away from a sat phone to a device that lets your smart phone and wifi do the communication. I don't think you will be streaming movies or facetime. But skype audio should work.

I think its pretty good for US too - Alaska for example.

Since I am speculating I also don't think this company will be in its current corporate form. Most likely it is owned by blue chip tech company - I am hoping for google.

Also google is looking at massively increasing internet access global - satellite based systems are the way to go.

My guess is in a few years communications on african hunts will be much improved.

Mike

Here is a word of advice for those travelling and wish to use their phones in another country.

Turn off all updates.
Turn off all cellular data connections.

If you wish to use any data connection for any purpose, turn the cellular data on, make your connection, and turn the cellular off immediately after.

Apps and programs continuously communicate, and that can add up to a lot of data which can be very expensive.

Satellite data is very expensive, so watch out for any sizable attachments when checking your email.

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:

The new wifi satellite product from Globalstar will be a hit. Allow you to create a hotspot off satellite - can use your smart phone and Skype and talk to anyone.

Should be very similar to 4g hotspots currently sold by the phone companies.

Its should cost less than $100 and charges per min of use. I will def get one.

Mike

You might also consider the Iridium Go. The Globalstar Sat-Fi isn't so "global" as it only covers the continental US, Canada and Caribbean. It does cover Alaska, but it is a fringe signal and will definitely be a little trickier to grab signal.

I just started using the Iridium Go hot spot and works like a champ everywhere (as in truly global). In 2015, Iridium will be adding newer low earth orbit sats that will significantly increase data throughput. It's not too bad now, but the new constellation will add a lot of power to the network.

The Sat-Fi and Iridium Go are both the same price $999, but the coverage is far better on Iridium and the Go is smaller and more portable.

I too hope that Google gets into the market. Everything they do works.

Google is coming - and these guys don't screw around when they work on a project. They will build a global network and I think they buy Globalstar.

Globalstar has this wifi spectrum that has tremendous value but is irrelevant to off grid communications.

I want to see this satellite hotspot device. Globalstar has said it will cost $100 and iut just ties into you smart phone. This should be out in 2015.

I will check out iridium.

Thanks,

Mike

Globalstar still does not cover southern Africa and has very limited coverage in the rest of the continent. Pretty worthless for those of us who spend time there. Otherwise, the service and coverage is good.

The satellites that Google is allegedly planning to use are of new design and partnered with O3b. Therefore they would not be interested in legacy technology. Remains to be seen how much bandwidth will be available, but Africa will be a big target for them. It will take some time to get their constellation of 180 satellites operational.

+1 for the GO! product. Used it last month in Zim. Bought the device (though you can rent) for $799. $125 unlimited data for month - text, email, internet, though productive internet is pretty much non-existent. The best part, the app allows you to use your smartphone as a sat phone. $1.10/minute for calls. 5 devices can connect to the GO!. Texting was the best part, received within seconds.