Using your phone to receive and send emails is so easy – you need to start using it now!

A colleague recently had a problem with their ADSL line at home and was literally cut off from his emails and Skype.  He couldn’t get to his emails and had to clamour to get to an Internet cafe to access his emails using Web mail.  Then he “discovered” GMail (and Fring) on his phone and he was “cured”.  He could even receive and send emails from other email accounts eg: work address.  Also, GMail works off-line if the cellular signal is weak (like underground) – when you’re online again, then emails are sent in the background.

{If your phone isn’t set up to connect to the Internet, then read this article first: In this day and age I'm amazed by the low number of people that use their cell phones to connect to the Internet for email, www access, cheap IM etc}

Here are the steps to getting GMail to work for you:
1) Watch the GMail video here: http://www.google.com/mobile/products
2) Type this URL into your cell phone's browser: m.google.com/mail and download the program onto your phone
3) Create a GMail account for yourself: www.gmail.com using your PC’s browser (it’s just easier on your PC) and click on “Create an account” and follow the prompts.
4) Optional: Enable your other accounts on GMail: from GMail on your PC: click Settings->Accounts and Import, then enable receiving and sending from the other accounts (verification steps need to be followed)
5) Login to GMail on your phone (and if you’ve enabled your other accounts, then add them to your phone’s GMail program)
6) Start sending and receiving from your mobile phone!

Enjoy…

International calling from your South African PrePaid cell phone: if you’re with Vodacom, then you’re getting ripped off!

If you have a Vodacom PrePaid cell phone, then here are some tips to avoid the very high Vodacom call charges (R10 per minute).  One could use an MTN SIM card and save over R6.51 per minute!  Or dial a local CellC number and save over R6.40 per minute – here’s how:

A friend asked me how much it was to call Italy from his MTN Prepaid cell phone – here are the outcomes from my investigations:
Vodacom PrePaid cell phone to Italy from a PayAsYouGo phone is R10 per minute. http://www.vodacom.co.za/pkgcr.do?action=getpkgmenus&pkgTypeId=2&pageId=21

{If you had a contract: Vodacom Talk120: International Calls (Per minute):
Off Peak: 0.99 + Telkom Off-peak (landline = 0.83; mobile = 2.82) ===> Off peak to a landline: R1.82 per minute; Off peak to a mobile: R3.81 per minute.
Peak: 2.10 + Telkom Peak (landline = 0.99; mobile = 3.19) ===> Peak to a landline: R3.09 per minute; Peak to a mobile: R5.29 per minute.
http://www.telkom.co.za/products_services/internationalcallservice/cost.html
}

 

For MTN PrePaid Classic: it costs (per minute) R3.49 to dial a mobile phone directly in Italy, and R2.90 to a landline in Italy (billed on a per second basis).
http://www.mtn.co.za/Travel/International%20Calling/Pages/default.aspx?index=2 

Wow, seems like MTN is MUCH cheaper than Vodacom…. But still, VoipBuster to Italy landline is free for 120 days!  See here for more details: http://handytechtips.blogspot.com/2009/08/voipbuster-over-skypeout-verdict-read.html

You could also dial this CellC number (084 198 0001) and speak to over 60 international countries for no extra cost: http://handytechtips.blogspot.com/2008/10/make-cellc-call-and-speak-to-over-60.html . This works for landlines only in Italy.
{Works for cell phones in these countries: USA (most networks); Canada; China; Singapore; Hong Kong.}

Costs of calls to CellC:
For Vodacom pre-paid Vodago to CellC: to Value-Added Services Off-Peak: R1.08; Peak: R3.60 http://www.vodacom.co.za/pkgcr.do?action=getpkgsgroups&pkgTypeId=2&pkgGroupId=8&packageId=17

For Vodacom contract Talk 240 to CellC: Value-Added Services Off-Peak: R0.98; Peak: R1.88 http://www.vodacom.co.za/pkgcr.do?action=getpkgsgroups&pkgTypeId=1&pkgGroupId=1&packageId=4

For MTN PayG Classic to CellC: Peak: R2.85; Off peak: R1.60 per minute.

See here for details of MTN’s peak and off peak calling times: http://www.mtn.co.za/Support/faq/NewSubscribers/Pages/MakingTakingcalls.aspx

So, HTT’s verdict:  since my friend was already with MTN (whew), his cheapest option to call a landline in Italy @off peak times is to dial the local CellC number which would cost R1.60 per minute. 
At peak times he should rather dial direct (ie: MTN call) @R2.90 per minute (the CellC number’s cost is R2.85 but the call setup time (while you’re keying in the international number on the CellC call) will use up time and nullify the 5c per minute savings).
If he needed to call a cell phone in Italy (the CellC number doesn’t cover cell phones in Italy yet) then he would need to dial directly @R3.49 per minute.

HTT’s verdict for other Vodacom PrePaid users: rather than paying the R10 per minute, get an MTN SIM card for your international calls.

But, for all of you that read this far… these costs can be slashed further if you use VOIP – even on your cell phone.  Install NimBuzz and configure a SIP connection using your VoipBuster account.  Then for the 1st 120 days you’ll pay nothing for landline calls to major international cities except for the data costs (R2 per MB on prepaid if you don’t have a data bundle). See here for more info:  VoipBuster over SkypeOut: the verdict? Read this for hands on tips on saving on your phone bill

Are you coming to the FIFA World Cup 2010?: How to get connected while you are in South Africa

The FIFA Confederations Cup is almost over (Good luck to USA and Brazil in the final game).
If you are one of the lucky football fans who will be coming to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup Soccer tournament, then you will need to get your mobile phone connected to the Internet while you are here.

HandyTechTipper (HTT) has travelled to foreign countries and it is most frustrating when arriving and not being able to connect to the Internet for Instant Messaging and VOIP services on my cell phone (like Fring, or NimBuzz or Skype, or GMail) and laptop (VOIP buster).
So, here are some considerations and steps to get your phone configured when you arrive in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup Soccer tournament.

Use a local cellular provider: although South African cellular networks have roaming agreements with most other countries, it will be much cheaper to purchase a South African PrePaid SIM card and use that in your cell phone. {A SIM card is a thumbnail sized microchip that snaps into the back of your cellular phone and activates service on a specific local network.}

In South Africa there are 4 cellular networks (Vodacom, MTN and CellC, Virgin Mobile) and all are able to provide voice and data connections (GPRS, Edge, 3G, 3.5G (HSPA)).

Most International Mobile phones work in South Africa (make sure that the phone is not SIM-locked and is GSM 900 compatible) - just insert a local South African SIM Card - they are available at all supermarkets for less than R5.00 (although some web sites say that it's as much as $30).
Don't forget to purchase some airtime as well (R50 should be fine to get you started - the cost per MB is about R2.00)
The SIM card will give you: a local cell phone number in South Africa, and free incoming calls, and free Voicemail, access to send and receive SMS (text messaging), with no yearly contract, no monthly charges nor credit checks.

Mobile phones can be hired at airports or cellular shops at approximately R12/day, but I would suggest bringing a spare phone with you: 1 for your foreign SIM card, and the other for the local SIM card (for connecting to the South African cellular network for local calls and Internet access).

If you have a laptop, then remember to bring your phone's cables so that you can use it as a modem and connect your laptop to the mobile phone and so to the Internet. See here for more info.

Don't forget your phone's charger and headset either!


Why is it cheaper to use a South African SIM card instead of your foreign SIM card?
It's obviously more convenient to "roam" with your foreign GSM phone (and use the same foreign number), but there are plenty of problems with this approach:
Your GSM phone might not work in South Africa;
It will be expensive for you. You'll be paying anywhere from $1 to $6 per minute for every phone call you make or receive.
Although it will be convenient for friends and associates back home (and in South Africa) to call you – they simply dial the number they already have – but this means you'll be paying for all these non-essential calls, also at the same $6 per minute rates.
Note: You will be paying for the calls that your friends make. They pay for the local leg of the call, and you pay for the long distance (expensive) leg of the call. However, when you call your South African friends, then you pay local call rates (same rate as if you were calling a mobile number in your home country.)
It will not be convenient for anyone in South Africa to call you. Even though you might be in the next hotel room, they will have to call your foreign number to speak to you – making it an expensive international call for them as well as you.

If you use the South African SIM card then SMS your new number to your friends at home and in South Africa (SMS for free) - then they can call you and they pay for the calls... and you pay local rates for Internet access and to call your South Africa friends.
Use your foreign cell phone and SIM card for emergencies only.

The SIM card (and monetary credit) stays active for 12 months, so if you're visiting South Africa again, you don't need to buy a new SIM for each visit.

Some people store their contact numbers on their SIM card - that mean that when the SIM card is removed, then all the numbers are "lost" - so remember to copy your numbers onto the phone - or sync them to your PC then print them out for easy reference while travelling.


So, you've purchased your SIM card and airtime - here's what to do next:
Setting up voice calls:
Turn your cell phone off and insert the SIM card.
Turn the cell phone on and enter the PIN if it asks for one (should be in the SIM card's packaging, usually 00000 {5 zeros}).
Load the prepaid airtime into the cell phone - explanation should be on the transaction slip.

Customer service for your Pay as you Go prepaid SIM card is available 24 hours a day by dialing (Vodacom: 111; MTN: 173; CellC: 140) at any time from your South Africa cellular phone. You can also dial (Vodacom: 082 111; MTN: 083 173; CellC: 084 140) from any phone other than your South Africa cell phone.

For emergencies while using your local South African GSM SIM card in South Africa: dial 112 from your cell phone.

*You will need to snap out the thumbnail sized South Africa SIM card along the perforated edge of its holder and then insert the SIM card into your cell phone with the gold contacts of the SIM card facing the metal contacts of your cellular phone.

^The PUK is only required to unblock your phone if you enter a PIN code incorrectly 3 times. Follow your cell phone manual instructions to correctly use the PUK to unblock your phone.

**When calling overseas from the United States to your South Africa cell phone, callers will need to dial 011 followed by country code 27 and your South Africa cell phone number, omitting the first 0 (zero). To call abroad from your South Africa cell phone simply dial 00 followed by the country code and phone number.


Setting up for data connectivity:
See this post for setting up your phone to connect to South African Data connection
Note: for high data usage - you can purchase data bundles which will reduce the cost from R2 per MB.
Dial *111#, free from your Vodacom cellphone for self-help activities such as checking your balance, buying Data or SMS Bundles, downloading cellphone settings or transfer airtime. See here for more info.
See here for Vodacom bundle rates: Data bundle costs (Vodacom)

Good luck! and enjoy the soccer 2010!

1 more tip: Beware of Hotel Phones:
There are lots of horror stories about huge hotel phone bills. You can find yourself paying up to $10/minute just to call back to the US if you use the phone in your hotel room. Even calls across town can sometimes cost $1/minute. So, rather use your cell phone (loaded with the local SIM card) or use a public phone.