Mobile phones in Kenya

What is the best way to use your mobile phone while in Kenya (Nairobi then
safari then Mombassa)? I'm on T-Mobile in UK.

Cheers.

Bobby

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 22:17:12 +0000, Bobby wrote:

What is the best way to use your mobile phone while in Kenya (Nairobi then
safari then Mombassa)? I'm on T-Mobile in UK.

Use the SMS, it is really the cheapest convenient way to stay in touch.
Stay away from voice roaming unless you enjoy paying though the nose. If
you really need to talk to someone back home, go to a local phone shop and
you are pretty much guaranteed to get competitive rates. Use your mobile
phone as a two ways pager.

Do you know how much it is to send a text message from Kenya to UK (or vice
versa)?

"Jean-Marc Liotier" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 22:17:12 +0000, Bobby wrote:

What is the best way to use your mobile phone while in Kenya (Nairobi
then
safari then Mombassa)? I'm on T-Mobile in UK.

Use the SMS, it is really the cheapest convenient way to stay in touch.
Stay away from voice roaming unless you enjoy paying though the nose. If
you really need to talk to someone back home, go to a local phone shop and
you are pretty much guaranteed to get competitive rates. Use your mobile
phone as a two ways pager.

On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 10:35:52 -0000, "Bobby" wrote:

Do you know how much it is to send a text message from Kenya to UK (or vice
versa)?

Expect to pay around 3 times as much (as you would in the UK) to send
an sms message and also you'll be charged to receive one. It all
depends on the network you're using and what agreements they may have
with your provider.
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On 2005-01-22 23:17:12 +0100, "Bobby" said:

What is the best way to use your mobile phone while in Kenya (Nairobi
then safari then Mombassa)? I'm on T-Mobile in UK.

Cheers.

Bobby

It's important that you check out the network you use, as you might
experience a price difference of 2$ per minute between different
suppliers. SMS didn't cost that much.
You won't have any coverage on safari (read Masai Mara9, but Nairobi
and Mombasa will be ok.

Geir
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"Bobby" wrote in message
...
What is the best way to use your mobile phone while in Kenya (Nairobi then
safari then Mombassa)? I'm on T-Mobile in UK.

Cheers.

Bobby

Bobby:
Just buy a local chip, and send SMS messages to your friends in the UK
telling them your Kenyan number. I was just there about 5 weeks ago, and a
Kenyan phone chip cost the equivalent of 5 pounds, and came with 2 pounds of
credit. You can recharge it almost anywhere.

Get the chip at a street stall, NOT in your hotel. I was in the Hilton, and
they more than doubled the cost.

You'll have excellent coverage around Nairobi and the towns, but on safari
there won't be any coverage at all. However, phone rates within Kenya (and
Kenya and Tanzania) are quite cheap.

--riverman

In article ,
riverman wrote:

"Bobby" wrote in message
...
What is the best way to use your mobile phone while in Kenya (Nairobi then
safari then Mombassa)? I'm on T-Mobile in UK.

Cheers.

Bobby

Bobby: Just buy a local chip, and send SMS messages to your
friends in the UK telling them your Kenyan number. I was just
there about 5 weeks ago, and a Kenyan phone chip cost the
equivalent of 5 pounds, and came with 2 pounds of credit. You
can recharge it almost anywhere.

Get the chip at a street stall, NOT in your hotel. I was in
the Hilton, and they more than doubled the cost.

[Snipped]

Be aware that many UK phone providers "block" phones to only use
their network SIM card. You can check this by taking the phone
into, say, a different networks shop and asking if they can make
it "Pay as you Go". This will be expensive.

There are private shops/stalls in the UK that will unblock your
phone. I paid £10. Thus will then allow you to use other SIM
cards bought in other countries. Other posters will tell you if
this service is available in Kenya - I would be surprised if it
wasnt :-))

--
besters
Ned

"Ned Abell" wrote in message
...
In article ,
riverman wrote:

"Bobby" wrote in message
...
What is the best way to use your mobile phone while in Kenya (Nairobi
then
safari then Mombassa)? I'm on T-Mobile in UK.

Cheers.

Bobby

Bobby: Just buy a local chip, and send SMS messages to your
friends in the UK telling them your Kenyan number. I was just
there about 5 weeks ago, and a Kenyan phone chip cost the
equivalent of 5 pounds, and came with 2 pounds of credit. You
can recharge it almost anywhere.

Get the chip at a street stall, NOT in your hotel. I was in
the Hilton, and they more than doubled the cost.

[Snipped]

Be aware that many UK phone providers "block" phones to only use
their network SIM card. You can check this by taking the phone
into, say, a different networks shop and asking if they can make
it "Pay as you Go". This will be expensive.

This is correct, especially if your current provider is Orange, and they
provided the phone. However, if you bought your phone at a phone shop, it is
already fully unlocked. Also, if it IS locked, you can get a lot of the
unlock codes online, but thats another whole can of worms.

--riverman

On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 10:35:52 -0000, "Bobby"
wrote:

Do you know how much it is to send a text message from Kenya to UK (or vice
versa)?

Bobby,

some prices are in http://www.michna.com/kenya.htm. I think an
SMS to Europe is around ¤0.35.

Voice calls inside Kenya are much cheaper than calls back home,
though still more expensive than when using a Kenyan SIM card.

One thing you should do is check the roaming tariffs on your
service provider's web site. If these are not complete, like for
GPRS Internet connections, ask them directly.

Hans-Georg

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On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 16:20:15 +0100, Geir Ertzgaard
geir¾tertzgaarddotnet wrote:

You won't have any coverage on safari (read Masai Mara9, but Nairobi
and Mombasa will be ok.

Geir,

wide off the mark. Maasai Mara is covered, though in a peculiar
way. They have put a cell transmitter into each of the major
lodges, but limited its range. Therefore you have excellent
coverage in the lodge and within 1 or 2 km, mainly no coverage
away from the lodge.

The higher areas of Samburu are also covered, but no coverage
down at the river.

Hans-Georg

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