I will be spending some time in Swakopmund, Damaraland, and Etosha next year and have been exploring options for calling back home.If possible, I would prefer to use my cell phone rather than a satellite phone. However, I have no idea how this process works (only my second trip to Africa and used a satellite phone on the first). Anyone with experience using a cell phone from these areas? How readily available is cell phone service in Namibia?

If cell service is available, can I arrange this directly with my carrier (AT&T)? Or will I need to obtain a calling card from a third party?

I have used my cell phone in Namibia extensively. If you go to the Caprivi you may have some issues but Windhoek, Grootfontein, etc if you have a 3G phone there is no issue. You may need to check with your carrier for adding international coverage,, it costs a few buck as month but makes the minutes much cheaper over there. Ask your Ph about coverage,, he will know,, Last time I was in the bush every tracker and skinner, etc had a cell phone! I will be there in 31 days but I am not counting,, M y phone is one of the first Iphones that came out,, I used a Treo before,, AT&T coverage

I use AT&T and my phone worked fine in the Caprivi.

Thanks for the info! Using my cell phone sounds much easier than renting and dealing with a satellite phone.

drwes, where and what are you hunting next month?

Cell service is no problem in most areas of Namibia, especially the ones you mentioned. What you need to do is buy the "Worldwide Traveler" plan from At&T which is about $5/month and turn off your data roaming when you get there(can cancel after you get home). Data will cost you an arm and a leg, but with it off you only get charged for minutes used (roughly $1/min) and texts, which are $0.50 each. That's what I did and it saved me the cost of a sat phone.

PAG,

Or, you can just buy a SIM card in Windhoek and some minutes and have fairly cheap use of the phone...

Regards, Tim

It seems to me why bother to begin with, gee's its a hunting trip for most! How did we manage in the days before Cell and Sat Phones and internet. I have gotten one of the new smart phones for the reason my old one, died a tragic death after 7 years of use, I dropped it one night and didn't notice and it rained. Oh well the new one is a neat thing, I gotten an Iphone. I like it a lot, but its the last thing I am going to take on a hunting trip. Take a couple of phone cards and make a call if you need to. They are light and fit in wallets.

My latest generation droid phone would not work in Frankfurt, Jo'berg or Zim last month. Apparently the latest US phones don't work on the older systems.

When I go to Africa, I leave the cell phone at home. I will take a sat phone and call home occassionally to check on my family. I do not ask how my business or anything related to it.

The first time I see a PH, tracker, driver, or skinner get out a cell phone the tips just went down. If they must use a cell phone do it out of my sight.

Just my opinion.

AMEN- EXCEPT I DON'T BOTHER TO CALL HOME DURING THE HUNT. my wife and family know i am incommunicado until they see me again- no exceptions, no excuses and no bullshit- I AM ON VACATION-DON'T BOTHER ME!!!

Just got back from Namibia after hunting Damaraland and a side trip to Swakopmund. No problems at all using a cell phone in towns, service was sketchy sometimes between towns in the north. It was possible to get a cell signal in the conservancy by walking up a hillside behind camp although I didn't bother as I have a sat phone in any case.

Regarding not taking phones on trips I can appreciate the feeling however (in my opinion), I'd prefer to be able to call, check voice mail etc for 5 minutes each day if it means I can spend more days hunting.

Make sure you have an unlocked GSM cell phone in order to connect to the mobile network in Namibia.

GSM networks use the GSM 850/1900Mhz bands in the USA & Canada, most of the rest of the world use the GSM 900/1800Mhz bands.

Ask the phone shop to unlock the phone or give you the code and then you can do it yourself.