Mobile/cell phone advice
 

Travelling to South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique from Australia and as I am technologically challenged I would love some advice. I have read threads on this forum that have answered many of my questions but still need some clarification. What is the cheapest way to have a mobile/cell phone with us so we can keep in contact with our family back home? It would be used mainly if they need to contact us in an emergency. Can I use my GSM or Triband phone with my sim card or must I buy a sim card in Johannesburg when I arrive? Will either sim card work in all four countries? Can I text message back to Australia at a low cost? Thanks.

Call phone networks in these countries are GSM. Whether or not your particular card registers on the network is down to whether or not an agreement exists between your cellphone network and one of the networks in the countries you mentioned. Your home network is likely to have a preferred network arrangement with a local African network providing cheaper rates for calling/texting. Your phone company should be able to tell you which network this is and the call charges upfront.

Using a local SIM card is undoubtedly going to be cheaper, but you have to weigh the cost of aquiring a local card to the cost of phone calls you're likely to make.

You will need a tri/quad band, unlocked cell phone. eBay for about $50.00.

Use a www.mobal.com sim card or buy cheaper a SIM within the countries you are traveling.

This is the easiest.

if you really want costs down, and conversation is not the point, just emergencies, you may find the "old school" method easiest.

provide loved ones with a detailed itinerary and fax machine/phone numbers for your various locations. they can leave word and you can respond if need be.

most places have computers and you can email, too.

just a thought.

kerikeri :)

Does anyone know the cost of a SIM in Souther Africa and Namibia?

Sorry, South Africa.