Trivia & Tidbits Thursday - Gaborone, Botswana

This week's topic - cell phones.

1. Prepaid cell phones seem to be the preferred choice. Inexpensive. No long-term/monthly commitment.
   
2. We don't have the same carriers as the US. Our major carriers are Mascom, Orange and Be.
   Mascom is the carrier I use.
3. I am able to use my phone from the US (the old thing in the pic).
   When I'm in the US - I plug in my T-Mobile SIM card.
   
4. To start service, just buy a new SIM card. Cost is about $2.50. Comes with your cell phone number and starter minutes.
5. Cell phone numbers are 8-digits. No area code here - even for land lines. (Home phones are 7-digits.)
6. Recharges are purchased in amounts by pula, not minutes - anywhere from P10-P100. (Yellow card in pic.) The back of the card (pic below) has a scratch off strip with a number to be entered in your phone - to recharge your airtime.
   
7. P100 (about $15) lasts me a couple of months.
8. Interesting point: cheaper to SMS than call! SMS messages cost about 6 cents.
9. SMSing is the preferred method by folks here to communicate vs. emailing or calling.
10. Get this - you are only charged for YOUR outgoing calls or text messages. You are not charged for incoming calls or messages. I like that.
11. Blackberry, Bluetooth - all that technology is very popular here.