Just a few notes on communications.
Tracker
The tracker is provided by Dave and the satellite time is for testing. We are eternally grateful. It uses reverse gps so is accurate to within a km. Placing the track on googlemaps is automated, with occasional tweaking.
Mobile Phone
We purchased a travelsim card from the local Australia Post outlet before leaving Australia. This is an Estonian sim card with a callback method for making calls from anywhere (except Laos). It also has an 1800 number for people calling us from Aus (costs us A$0.35 / minute) and a web page for people to send us sms. Instructions are comprehensive. Help was available. Topup is a simple menu option once set up. Very useful. A minor blot, it didn't work with one of those automated answering things that says "press 1 for ..., press 2 for .....".
Satellite Phone
We have a Thuraya Sat Phone. Purchased the phone of eBay from Aus seller. The sim card came from Abu Dhabi. Topup will be through a UK eBayer with an Abu Dhabi connection.
We avoided purchasing the phone through an Aus network (like Optus) as they bundle it with a normal mobile plan with a monthly fee.
We used the sat phone a couple of times to send sms saying "we are ok" when we were otherwise out of touch for a few days.
VOIP
The Nokia is wi-fi enabled. Its how it acts as an wi-fi hub to connect netbooks through to mobile phone internet.
That also means it can work as a wi-fi phone. Connect through any available wi-fi network.
Just in case we have a VOIP account. Not Skype, which would work, but Pennytel. Simply because we used Pennytel while at home. Pennytel also provide a local Brisbane phone number for calls to us.
I'm writing this as we have free wi-fi at a camping ground in Hungary. Thus we have VOIP phone connection and will phone the relies.
Why? Cost of international mobile phone call is more than $0.50 / minute. Cost of VOIP to Aus is A$0.10 untimed, to NZ etc. about A$0.03 / minute.
Mobile Phone Internet
We have an ex Telstra unlocked Nokia E51 phone. It is an all band mobile
phone - GSM and 3G on all frequencies necessary for Australasia / Asia / Europe.
It is also wi-fi enabled so can be used as a wi-fi phone (sip / skype / etc.).
The wi-fi can be used to create a wi-fi connection for our netbooks through the
phone internet connection. An iPhone has similar functions.
We aimed to purchase a pre-paid sim card in each country. Not always easy to explain we needed internet with the pre-paid though it was included anyway.
The differences in the countries were simply in coverage, speed, initial purchase and setup, and topup.
We realised very early on that finding an office of the service provider was easier than trying to buy a sim card on the street or from a mobile phone shop. However, that wasn't always possible.
We tried to purchase sufficient internet in the first purchase but failed and had to learn how to top up. Most countries used a scratch card readily available at many outlets - scratch the card and feed the numbers into the phone. Russia has vending machines on the street that accept cash.
Generally inserting the sim also set up the phone for internet connection.
We didn't have the patience or inclination to check prices of plans. We simply accepted what was on offer.
There are different versions of the E51 for different countries. On one occasion we were told quite dogmatically that our phone wouldn't work with 3G. Computer says no. Despite me showing the little 3G symbol on the network connection.
When looking at the cost in each country don't forget that we spent 60 days in China but only 30 in Russia and fewer elsewhere.
We purchased Jokiuspot Premium software to allow the phone to work as a wi-fi hub for internet. Its been reliable. The Sip (Voip) set up was built in.
If using a usb modem there is software available that helps them become unlocked!
Our blog is edited with Frontpage 2000 - simply the html editor, none of the fancy bits. Upload with FileZilla FTP.
| Country | Provider | Total Cost | Comments | ||||
| Malaysia | Digi | A$4.66 | Purchased at a Digi outlet in a shopping center. A large presence everywhere. The Digi sales person spent 10 minutes setting the phone up. We used up the initial credit rather quickly so went back to the same place for a recharge. Connection was 3G everywhere we stopped. | ||||
| Thailand | Totally failed here. We didn't know what the mobile networks were and they weren't advertising prominently. For two weeks we lived without. | ||||||
| Cambodia | Mobitel | A$4.81 | We bought a sim card and it worked. | ||||
| Laos | Unitel | A$25.89 | Failed at first attempt buying sim card on street (wasted A$7). Second attempt ok. Easy top up with scratchy cards. Mostly 3G. Generally good around most centers. | ||||
| China | China Telecom | A$61.70 | Needed Susanna's id to purchase a sim card. Messed up in
the translation. Perhaps showing a USB modem would get a different result
than showing the phone - we only managed Edge rather than 3G. Edge
connection was more than adequate though.
We also got mixed up with plans. It was easier to buy a new sim card than top up the old one. Perhaps China is like Russia and needs roaming within the country, making it difficult to top up a phone from a different area. |
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| Mongolia | Mobicom | A$84.78 | Had to wait until Ulaan Baatar to find a Mobicom office where sufficient English was spoken. Confused by "units" per Mb and $/unit. Bought far too much. A mixture of 3G around major centers and Edge in most villages. Congested so often had to upload blog at 3am. Error prone so had to repeat upload until FileZilla had all files the right size. But it worked! | ||||
| Russia | MTS | A$39.32 | Purchased in mobile phone outlet in Gorno-Altai. 3G around
Gorno then Edge for most of the country with occasional 3G around major
cities. It improved as we moved west.
About 50% of the time ok for emails and limited research but too slow for blog upload. Even at 3am. Caught a virus which ate through the allowance. Top up through vending machines. Press the buttons and feed them cash. Needed help the first couple of times. |
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| Ukraine | MTS | A$55.75 | Mistakenly thought that MTS Ukraine would operate like MTS
Russia. Basically got lazy and paid the price. Internet really only worked
in Ukraine for essential emails.
No 3G. Edge was slow. Epicycles (my) website unreachable except through a proxy server. No ftp access for blog upload. No email through epicycles so resorted to gmail. Confirmation from contact in Kiev that he also can't reach our website. Top up through scratchies. Readily available but low value so needed multiple scratchies. Apparently Ukraine Telecom has a good mobile internet deal but we never found an outlet. |
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| Hungary | Free camping is illegal so in camping grounds. Wi-fi readily available and free with the camping so far. | ||||||