Posted by easydee
Guys, apart from tricks and cheats that enable you to browse 4 free, one legal way to cut back on what you spend while browsing wit your phone, esp. in forums like this, go to your browser settings and you'll see, where it is written show images, it's always on, change it to off, then you'll see that whenever you browse, you pay less, cos You've turned images off- this means no graphics, not even smileys wil show, it's not that bad. cheers
Posted by OluYom
peasydee: A good 3G phone under N25,000 is the Nokia 6233. Costs about N23,000 only.
This message was posted from a SGH-I780
Posted by adrusa
On 2008-07-30 13:39:27, OluYom wrote:
I tried explaining this a looong time ago on this thread, but we ended up with an argument, and I simply walked away.
Not a good attitude. Make your comments, quote your references. Nobody, however irate, can argue with facts.
WCDMA, while a CDMA standard, is actually what GSM networks use to deliver 3G (as GSM does not have the capacity to deliver broadband services on its own). This is why GSM networks need a new licence in order to offer 3G, while CDMA networks do not. It is also why they (GSM operators) very often need to setup a parallel network to what is already on ground for 2G/2.5G.
Again, while WCDMA is a CDMA standard, it is not compatible with CDMA 2000 on which the CDMA guys deploy their services. Basically, when you are talking of WCDMA, you are talking of UMTS or 3G on GSM networks. I hope I was able to present it as simple as possible.
Actually wCDMA (UMTS) has a GSM core and only uses a CDMA air-interface. It is unfortunate that the name CDMA got linked to the proprietary system that qualcom developed. CDMA (code division multiple access) and TDMA (time division multiple access) actually are the technology by which the different mobile systems transmits their signals.
Unfortunately TDMA is limited to EDGE speed and could not match the EVDO data speeds. So GSM networks had to swith to a CDMA-type (not CDMA) air-interface for more speed.
But in spite of the name CDMA and wCDMA are far apart and are incompatible with each other. As to the issue of licensing, I presume it is possibly greed that led the Europeans to decide to charge humongous sums of money for 3G licenses and Nigeria promptly followed.
It has been argued that one of the archillies tendons of 3G is the high licensing cost leading to high roll out cost and expensive service charges and low patronage by end users. 3G was originally aimed at video calls,(was supposed to be the mobile killer app) but people couldn't be persuaded to pay double for poor quality video. Now 3G concentrates mostly on data. (internet, video conferencing, mobile TV, high speed data)
[ This Message was edited by: adrusa on 2008-07-30 20:21 ]
Posted by OluYom
@adrusa: On the subject of licencing, licencing (whether free, cheap or exhorbitant) is necesarry because WCDMA requires a different frequency from 2G/2.5G. Frequency is always regulated, and a GSM licence gives an operator a specific frequency range. This is different from the case of CDMA 2000 networks who require no new frequency and hence no new licence. Of course, I agree that greed is responsible for the exhorbitant 3G licences littering the landscape everywhere.
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Posted by abubakar
woaw! a simple yes or no would have sufficed! i ddnt mean to start WWIII!!! I actually knew most abt the wcdma data protocol from wikipedia, i just wanted to make sure that i wasnt mistaken! lets call a truce!
Posted by abubakar
@all: pls post up ur fav wap sites, if u have any. i've really been browsing plenty the past few days and been using on average 50 to 70 bucks a day! oluyom, does yomisays have a wap counterpart?
Posted by brym!
So I went to Saka /Odeku to get the Nokia E51 and 6500 classic for my boss and took some time to do some survey:
Intercellular is still existing but just barely. Their office was dry, no customers...pity.
At MTN Friendship Centre, an officer says it is still 60koko per kb for Pay as You Go browsing... don't blame her, most often they don't know anything about their company.
Reltel officers are not better either, I asked to have a feel of Samsung IP-830w, a dual network phone and a Reltel staff pointed me to another phone stating categorically that the IP-830 is not a dual network phone. Hmm!
I did have a feel of the Nokia E71 at Dax Store. This one is two levels above the E61i, too sleek and compact for a smartphone...very very very impressed, I am considering it. Dax is selling it for it for 65k but DCSL store says 54k.
And our current rave, the Samsung i780 now goes for 47k ...finally dropping some points. Still a steal for a GSM Windows Mobile device.
By the way, the E51 and 6500 classic sell for the same price, 30.5k at DSCL.
@easydee: Sorry, I forgot about your request I would have looked out for 3G phones within your price range.
Posted by 2tek
pm for ifedisky and easydee.... waiting for the rain
Posted by mamba
A good place to check out prices of phones (3g) online would be http://slotltd.com/price_list.html
@easy, u were right about ur description of the mms thingy.
Posted by OluYom
On 2008-07-31 13:25:00, abubakar wrote:
woaw! a simple yes or no would have sufficed! i ddnt mean to start WWIII!!! I actually knew most abt the wcdma data protocol from wikipedia, i just wanted to make sure that i wasnt mistaken! lets call a truce!
@abubakar: Where's the war? Adrusa and I are largely agreed. He simply shed more light on what I had attempted to put forward in layman's language. And I doubt if my response on the issue of licencing amounts to war either.
There's no war; there's no truce to declare.
Posted by adrusa
On 2008-07-31 17:11:02, brym! wrote:
Reltel officers are not better either, I asked to have a feel of Samsung IP-830w, a dual network phone and a Reltel staff pointed me to another phone stating categorically that the IP-830 is not a dual network phone.
From my experience with many "customer care" people at the PTOs' offices, they simply look for people with good english and nothing else. They will argue with you about what they dont know and even sometime poke fun at your "ignorance". When I run into them, I just allow them to have fun and feel bad internally, how company pay so much attention to their bottom line, but have no clue how to satisfy their customers.
All reviews of the IP-830w that I have read said it is dual network, but every Reltel person I spoke with said it is just a cdma phone. It is either of two things; they have another phone they are calling samsung ip 830w or Reltel is peopled with fools.
Posted by Ifedisky
@all: Still on customer care,the comedy of the 3G nko?.Twas Oluyom that pointed out a glo customer care staff saying p990i is not a 3G phone!This scenario played out severally with me before I could get my 990i provisioned 4 3G.It takes every ounce of self restraint to be civil with those people. And the english spoken by some of em,particularly in Glo is atrocious! I doff my hat 4 Zain(!) peeps on this score. U could actually chit chat some of their women. Do they sound nice!
Posted by easydee
Guys, my celtel NG has turned to Zain NG, has anyone experienced this yet?
@brym, thanks, maybe next time.
@mamba, I'll definitely check that out.
@ all, did anybody here get an empty message from mtn loaded? if you did, i hear it's a sign of good things to come!
PLS, Can anyone tell me why i have just 2posts against my esato id? cos i know i've posted way more than 2!
* pm reply waiting for ifed and 2tek
[ This Message was edited by: easydee on 2008-08-01 05:36 ]
Posted by Ifedisky
@Oluyom: those are signs of the times;folks developing the wrong way. Can't wait to hitch on ur wagon again. God dey.
Posted by brym!
On 2008-08-01 06:15:05, easydee wrote:
Guys, my celtel NG has turned to Zain NG, has anyone experienced this yet?
Another rebranding? God help you guys.
@ALL : Reltel Wireless is also rebranding to ZOOM Mobile with 0707 prefix. Any further info will be appreciated.
PLS, Can anyone tell me why i have just 2posts against my esato id? cos i know i've posted way more than 2!
Try posting on other forums. Posting on regional forums doesn't count, if remember correctly.
Posted by OluYom
@Ifedisky: Thanks, jare!
@all: Has anyone visited the Zain website? On the GPRS page, it says that both WAP and full internet are currently available only for Postpaid subscribers.
This sounds like Zain is an unserious network, mobile data wise. What are they thinking? Yes; I know that some prepaid subscribers still have access to GPRS, but honestly, why would any serious user want to gamble with an official position like this?
Posted by abubakar
@easy: the post count is on each thread u are on except junk threads. i wondered the same thing when i first got here.
@all: all this talk about dual sims for gsm/cdma, how good (ie durable) are the ones coming from known manufacturers?
Posted by ambyzown
How does re-branding help us as subscribers? does it improve network quality? all the money the 0802 network has spent on re-branding from econet to vodacom to vmobile to celtel to zain could've been used to acquire infrastructure that would've improved the quality of their service. And those colours! fuchsia and green? horrible.
Posted by OluYom
@ambyzown: I totally agree! What a waste!
This message was posted from a SGH-I780
Posted by adrusa
I was thinking about this same thing today while passing in front of the celtel office clsoe by. They were pulling down the get ups, the bill boards, the street decorations round the office. Though the office itself has no name yet, but the colour had changed to red and green (shades of them), and I wondered that I'm partly paying for all the numerous name changes and rebranding that econetwireless, econet, vodacom, v-mobile, celtel and now zain had gone through.
Posted by abubakar
@adrusa: haba! would u prefer they use ur money to buy more yachts, planes and bling bling? u cant blame the company. each brand change was with either a potential or actual change of ownership. every new owner wants to piss on its new territory.
Posted by OluYom
@Abubakar: Dont mind us one bit. Its not that we don't understand. What makes it really annoying is the fact that these successive re-branding exercises have brought very little benefits or goodies to customers (at least us geekie ones). For example, how can they now limit ALL browsing to contract lines? I'll keep venting o.
This message was posted from a SGH-I780
Posted by ambyzown
On 2008-08-01 17:00:56, OluYom wrote:
@all: Has anyone visited the Zain website? On the GPRS page, it says that both WAP and full internet are currently available only for Postpaid subscribers.
I think you've got the whole thing wrong. Its not gprs thats restricted to post paid lines, its the toll free customer care number 131. Its been free for post paid subscribers for a while now.
Its strange how Zain would change APN without informing its subscribers. But stranger still is the fact that the old APN still works. Confused bunch
Posted by OluYom
@amby: Here's what that page says:
For further enquiries or assistance on how to activate the service, call customer care on 131 toll free.
The service is currently available to postpaid subscribers only
If my conclusion is wrong, then Zain needs to hire a good copywriter.
Posted by adrusa
Its strange how Zain would change APN without informing its subscribers. But stranger still is the fact that the old APN still works. Confused bunch
For me the new APN did not work. But the old one is still okay. It is like their mouth works ahead of their brain.
Posted by kwabs2006
hello my naija brothers,
greetings from ghana. i just wanted to ask u guys to give a briefing about the services of zain and glo so that over here we have a little info
thx...
does Zain have 3g too?? and is 3g costly over there??
jus give us any useful info about the 2 networks.
thx
Posted by ambyzown
@Oluyom: I couldn't agree more with you. Zain definitely needs the services of a good copy writer. There are so many grammatical flaws strewn all over the website and that phrase is very misleading. They could lose potential subscribers just by that phrase.
@All: Seems like Zain now charges N10 for every me2u (airtime transfer) transaction. They are the only network that charges for this service.
@Kwabs: Oluyom will be the best person to give u a full review of the two networks you listed, but if current quality of service is anything to go by, Zain is rubbish. Its quite strange that this is coming from ME of all people on this forum, cos for over 4years I was a staunch "believer" in Econet/Vodacom/Vmobile/Celtel/Zain, but they let me down.
Posted by brix25
What's with the identity crisis at Zain/Celtel/V-Mobile/Vodacom/Econet? I guess the marketing department must have pissed when they were told they would have to change tack once again.
Posted by OluYom
An MTN official confirmed to me this morning that usage of GPRS/EDGE/3G/3.5G on the MTN network now attracts a tariff of 15 kobo per kb (as against the old price of 60 kobo per kb).
Full Story from http://www.MobilityNigeria.com: MTN packet data now officially 15 kobo per kilobyte
@kwabs: Zain NG offers NOTHING that stands out at the moment. Call quality is nothing to harp about, and data is at least a decade old. All that Zain runs now is GPRS, while both Glo and MTN have 3.5G (HSDPA) active already.
Let me know what else you may be interested in.
_________________
I used to be AYA!
MobilityNigeria.com - Useful information, reviews, updates, video downloads, tutorials and tips on everything mobile in Nigeria
[ This Message was edited by: OluYom on 2008-08-05 12:47 ]
Posted by brym!
That is good news! Bought an MTN sim, configured it and browsed with it all through the weekend. If there's no response from Glo sooner, I'm dumping my sim for good.
Posted by OluYom
@brym: The MTN reduction is excellent news indeed. I have relegated my Zain SIM to the background, and now carry only one (1) phone around - and it has a GPRS/EDGE/3G/HSDPA-enabled MTN SIM in it!
Finally, convergence!
Posted by abubakar
@oluy: its sad but true. i, who has been the most anti-MTN poster on this thread, am now using an mtn line almost as much as my starcomms. my 0802 (unlike the rest of u, i havent brought myself to call it zain yet) is left more and more at home along side my glo.
@all: no one has mentioned anything abt the cdma/gsm dual sim. isnt anyone using one here?
Posted by OluYom
@abu: Its a case of no condition being permanent.
This message was posted from a SGH-I780
Posted by abubakar
@oluy: my conversion was more bcos of the wider spread of thier gprs. the recent change in tariff doesnt hurt! when i used to go anywhere glo worked, the mtn took a back seat.
no more!
Posted by easydee
@ all, guys, pls i want to know if anyone out there has been able to make a video call, via mtn or glo, i also heard mtn's video call is free, is this true.
Also, has anyone here noticed an E instead of G sign on their phones of late? esp zain, i heard on Mtn too. does anyone know wat this means?
Posted by OluYom
@easydee: The E should stand for EDGE. MTN has EDGE active on its network, especially in non-3G areas. Zain gave a few million dollars to Motorolla and others last year for the implementation of EDGE on its network too. The E you are seeing must mean its almost ready or is now active.
This message was posted from a SGH-I780
Posted by ambyzown
Yes, Oluyom is correct, but note that not all handsets are Egprs (EDGE) enabled, so some may still show 'G' while others show 'E'
On the tariff reduction from MTN, its a welcome development and I hope Glo follows suit.
Posted by abubakar
@easy: on mtn's wap site they say the vid calls would cost TWICE the cost of normal calls. Also, they said they had some kind of family and friends package for vid calls. I'll check it up again and post up the link
Posted by OluYom
who wants to try out a video call with me on the MTN network? PM your number to me.
This message was posted from a SGH-I780
Posted by easydee
@ all, one question is yet to be answered, has anyone here successfully made a video call?
@ Aya, i'm not even sure 3G is in kaduna. can you tell me the difference between the normal gprs and edge and if possible hspda (gosh, i hope i got that spelling right, lol, i know it stands for high speed bla bla...). thanks
Posted by OluYom
I attempted placing a video call this evening, but it didnt work.
GPRS is basic packet data on 2nd generation GSM networks. EDGE (enhanced GPRS actually) delivers faster speeds than GPRS. UMTS and HSDPA are 3rd generation platforms for GSM networks, and deliver much faster (broadband) speeds.
UMTS (3G) delivers up to 384kbps theoreticaaly, while HSDPA (3.5G) can deliver up to 7.2mbps. both MTN and Glo currently offer a top speed of 3.6mbps.
Posted by abubakar
@easy: yes yes.made the calls when i was in abj a few months back. at the time they charges were just as normal calls.
Posted by abubakar
@easy: and as at that same period there was no 3g services in kd. in fact i think its still only abj, ph and parts of lag.
Posted by OluYom
@all: Browsing via 3.5G is a far sweeter experience over GPRS. Even on phones with limited processing power, the increased speed makes browsing a pleasure. So far, my observation is that MTN has better 3G coverage and stability.
This message was posted from a SGH-I780
Posted by easydee
@ AYA, Thanks for the info
@ABU, well i guess for those of us KD, we'll assumme the position of the proverbial dog 'siddon look' while everyone else enjoy it. i think kaduna is being relegated even though i'm not from the north, i think kaduna is among the top 5 states in Nigeria, it's really developed and should b given opportunities to enjoy all these awoof!
Posted by brym!
@O'Yom: You are right, MTN is quite stable. These days Glo connection, 3G or GPRS disappears for hours and days after heavy rainfalls. In my area, Amuwo Odofin, the signals were available last Thursday and Friday but I was unable to connect. I don't have these problems with MTN.
With respect to coverage; part of my route to work especially the 'Suru thru Orile, National Theatre to Ijora Olopa' corridor is not covered by Glo but MTN has coverage here.
I am really considering dropping my Glo postpaid, maybe after I acquire a cool MTN number.
Can't believe we are commending MTN.
Really, it is reliable performance and friendly tariffs that counts
[ This Message was edited by: brym! on 2008-08-06 09:43 ]
Posted by abubakar
@brym: dont judge so fast! i dont think a network should be given the title of being stable till it gives relatively stable service for a YEAR! A few wks doesnt cut it! but the gprs spread of mtn has made a difference! glo's network problem has affected recharge sales so badly, thier sales reps havent disturbed us to hit targets for a month!
Posted by brym!
The ad says More FM! 08.08.08
Has anyone figured out what MTN's new ad is building up to? 08.08.08 implies it will unfold on 8th of August 2008(this Fiiday) but any guesses? Any insider info?
Posted by abubakar
08-08-08 = olympics
Posted by ambyzown
Yea, apart from the Beijing olympics that begins 2moro 08.08.08 I can't think of where else this could lead.
@all: celtel/zain seem to be upgrading something, gprs is unaccessible at times, and then at times its super fast and free. it seems they read my post and are trying to win back my loyalty. lets see how it goes