How to…..use GPRS in Kenya

Ok, let’s do some viral marketing for GPRS in Kenya…

The other day, I already blogged on GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) in Kenya and complained about Safaricom’s strange GPRS settings which were previously sent to my mobile phone. Of course I am way too complicated from time to time, hence the service never worked – for me – as I had put way too many settings. The whole installation process is quite simple though, hence this little “how to…” round-up on GPRS with Safaricom in Kenya as I also see lots of traffic on my blog on the Safaricom + GPRS issue.

First, let’s look at the current situation and conditions that made me look for an alternative way of accessing the internet: I am currently working at a GoK institution and helping these guys on some technical issues among scientific work (~ working on my final thesis in the water sector). Today we tried to upload an annual report to the HQ in Nairobi which was about 4 MB in size. Knowing that their Winnet webmail service (local ISP) only allows attachments of max. 2 MB, we spilt the file into two pieces and zipped both.

Now, going online from the rural side isn’t that easy – the traditional modem speed depends on the quality of the line (=> attenuation) and with our modern V.90 modem we only got speeds of 16,2 kBit/s – which is nothing of course. A frustrating speed and connection, as you’re charged about 7 Ksh. / minute – and being online doesn’t mean that you’re actually downloading or uploading anything. It just says you’re connected.

In Nairobi, there are many interesting and working alternatives. The cheapest and best alternative of course is the wireless lan at Nairobi’s Java Houses (+ really good food!) and, if you are lucky enough, an AccessKenya.com line via WLAN in your office. Then there are these upcoming CDMA (~UMTS) local networks which currently only work in Nbo and Telekom’s DSL line, although the latter ones raised their prices in August this year and also DSL isn’t as speedy as it used to be. Someone at the Telekom office in Westlands told me that their prices might change again in near future, but until then….you’ll still need a fixed telephone line, and I understand that those are still hard to come by in Kenya due to differenct technical, historical and vandalism reasons.

Which leaves us with the GSM mobile phones that many in Kenya have these days. The best part about these phones – I think – is the prepaid system: a perfect way for the service providers to receive money in advance and no one needs to worry about unpaid receipts. It will only be a matter of time until other sectors jump on the same wagon (Kenya power, water sector, etc).

Now, in order to go online with your phone, all you need is a wap browser which enables you to surf special (wap-enabled) websites. WAP is a rather old service which never really succeeded except for Japan (i-mode) where lots of services are based on this technology (but they are using a different frequency range and technology anyways so let’s ignore them).

In order to actually SURF the internet like my blog or google, yahoo, the BBC news, etc – you’ll need a GSM mobile phone with a (X)HTML enabled browser. Many modern telephones already have this. You can actually access your email by using the browser (“internet”) in your phone. A very convenient way of going online from whereever you are in Kenya with network coverage. GPRS isn’t really needed for this service, but it helps limiting the costs (as you are charged by MB downloaded) + increasing the speed (?).

And then of course there is GPRS for use with computers. This is the sexy part of it. As far as I am informed, there are three different ways of connecting phones to a computer:

a) via InfraRed
b) via Data Cables
c) via Bluetooth

If you are an owner/user of a notebook/laptop computer and also have Bluetooth and a phone that has this Bluetooth functionality, use this! It’s the most convenient way of putting it – also because there can be a distance of up to 10m (sometimes also more) between the computer and the phone. So if the network coverage is bad, just put your phone next to the window (where the receiption is better) and access it via Bluetooth from your computer.

InfraRed is very slow although it works (direct line of sight needed to hook it up with the computer) and then of course there are data cables.
You see, there are some GPRS enabled phones – but without any means to connect a data cable (unless you remove the battery, like on the older Nokia 6510, 8210 series, etc.). And data cables are sometimes hard to come by. Not every shop in Nbo (and of course not even Wachira Electronics here in Embu) sell those cables, even not those posh Nokia Shops @ Sarit Centre & Village Market. Or? Update: the data cable @ Nokia Sarit Centre costs Ksh 5500/=! A fake chinese copy goes for around 1200 /=….
Anyways. if you’re about to buy a new phone, make sure it comes with a data cable. Such a cable is also needed for downloading data content from the phone (pictuers, videos, etc.). I remember that e.g. Sony Ericsson phones already come with such a cable. I personally have all three connection types – the cable (from Ebay Germany @ EUR 4,-), an infrared port on my notebook and Bluetooth on both sides. Bluetooth USB dongles sell for about 10,- EUR in Europe – sijui about their prices here Update: Ksh. 1600/= in downtown, presumably less @ Mitsumi in Parklands. But then, the very popular Nokia 6020 phone here in Kenya does not have Bluetooth, so a cable is the best choice (called “CA-42” (serial) or “DKU-5” (serial-to-USB) for this particular Nokia 6020 – the one for 6230(i) is called “DKU-2” (100% pure USB)).
Another alternative are these data cards (pc cards/pcmcia) that offer GPRS/EDGE technology and are used on laptop computers.
Ok, enough about the technical background, let’s start with the actual service:

In order to use GPRS with Safaricom, all you have to do (as a prepaid customer!!!) is to send an empty short message (SMS) to 4777. That’s it!
They will then shortly afterwards send you a confirmation sms and the settings for your GPRS capable (!) phone which you will be asked to save and activate using the following PIN: “1234“. Simple as that.

If the settings can’t be received for whatever reason, but your phone is able to do GPRS, then try the following settings for Safaricom:

APN: safaricom
username: saf
password: data

(hope i didn’t forget anything here..) UPDATE: kindly check the comments for more details, thx!

PLEASE NOTE:

  • GPRS does not always work but it is more reliable and much faster than the traditional modem dial-up. And forget about Safaricom’s 951 dial-up as well as Celtel’s 350 dial-up. Those dial-up services are limited to 9,6 kbit/s, which is even worse than the modem thing via fixed lines. GPRS is instant access and once you click the button on your computer (e.g. Nokia PC Suite “connect to the internet”), you are online within 3 seconds and the connection is stable enough. Stable also means that sometimes it might be fast, and then the next moment it may become very slow. This is NORMAL with GPRS as bundled time slots are not always available.
  • Costs, and that’s the best part about it, are ~ 10 Ksh (???) per MB ==> you are billed by the amount of data you have been loading (up & down!), and not the amount of time you have been online. THIS is why I am so fascinated by it. You only pay for the things you really wanted (except of course for junk mail in your mailbox, but that’s another story). A fair deal, I think.
  • Connection speed is about 53,6 kBit/s MAXIUM depending on the network (quality) and the amount of users sharing the network at the same time.
  • Safaricom’s mobile office website isn’t really THAT comprehensive as it doesn’t reveal many details on the service itself except for the usual marketing blabla. Someone @ the Daily Nation recently compiled an article on GPRS and all he/she did was copying the phrases from Safaricom’s online FAQ. These gals & guys @ SC really need to polish their website a bit.
  • The more users are online and sharing one base station, the slower is the connection. Hence, telling others about this great service has the downside that it might eventually lower the speed. But in the meantime, let’s enjoy this service as a hassle-free, easy and convenient way to access the internet. And remember, I am typing these lines from my room here in Embu. GPRS + Inernet on your laptop might of course also work from within a National Park if there’s enought network coverage. Now that’s cool, ama?
  • Skype works! And chatting via your prefered IM like YahooIM, MSN, ICQ, etc. doesn’t consume much bandwidth = low costs. Chat for 3hrs and only pay 30 – 50 bob. Now compare that with an internet/cyber café!

@Safaricom: how about some air time for this free-promo? My number is +254723436609 – Asante sana! :-)

p.s.: remember, I’ll work for bandwidth :-)

Ati? Safaricom? What’s this and this? Cooooooooooooooooooooooool. Really. M-Pesa? Like Hawala? Now THAT’s even more important than stable inet access. M-Banking is the next big thing.
@Mzeecedric: pole, I know it’s a long text although access is so simple. I just wanted to write down a few things that had been up in my mind. I so often meet ppl who spend a lot of money on fancy phones (~ going crazy for that video function for whatever dumb reason although they can’t even download the content from their phones) and then all they actually need is to access some things online and/or do online banking.

…and some things only cost 5 bob…

06-10j-000

…like the Adazi (Mandazi) or that cup of chai.
Please note the nice arrangement of menu cards, calendar & kitsch wisdom.

And what about the most ugliest pair of shoes I’ve ever bought in my life?

06-10j-001

they…

  • were relatively cheap (199/= Ksh)
  • are Made in Kenya (supporting the local economy, etc.)
  • are comfy “mens hi-quality sandles” which can be worn with socks (now try that with the normal sandals)
  • were available in my size (same as Mental’s)
  • cheaper than the fake Adiletten sandals which also weren’t available in my size
  • match my clothes when it’s dark outside
  • hey, this is Embu! who cares? :-)

some things still only cost 10 bob…

…like these mikebe I came across while shopping for my furnitures:

06-10i-016

06-10i-017

06-10i-018

06-10i-020

The beauty of living upcountry is that you see things which have almost vanished from Nairobi. And everyone here keeps on telling me how much they prefer Embu (read: “the rural life”) to the chaos in Nairobi. True! Remember what it takes to get from A to B in Nbo? And here I won’t even need a car. Nice.

I think I should stay here.

And with this GPRS thingy now which enables me to even blog, surf, chat and email for hours there’s no need to worry. In fact, now with Safaricom and Celtel offering GPRS services on their networks, one can actually take the notebook out on Safari and Skype from the National Park (yesss, VOIP over GPRS, it works!).

p.s.: the upside of living next to a night club is that you fall asleep to Franco Luambo Makiadi, Les Wanjika, Daudi Kabaka, etc…smooth :-)

We lead while others follow..

…well, do we?

What’s the sense in writing papers on water conservation if I just can’t convince those Mamas doing the laundry (at the place I am currently staying at) in preserving the resource “water” by closing the tap after enough water has flown into the wash basin?

What’s the sense in honouring national heroes on special events if their ideologies and the values they lived and were appreciated for are consequently ignored or not even lived by those who are supposed to lead others?

What’s the sense in talking about politics and things that “should be done” if we just can’t make a difference and pull up a project on our own to start at least somewhere?

It’s this age, this special moment when you realize that you are there to inspire others and be some sort of a role model. A demanding situation, where our own heroes are slowly dying away and we suddenly realize that the honeymoon period is over.

What is it that I would like to teach, show, give to and demand from our children one day? Will I be able to inspire them as much as my heroes have inspired me?

Cooking with Juergen Kamau

Saturday afternoon after some work on an urgent paper (which hindered me from going to Nyeri) I organized some cheap furnitures (cheap as in cheap quality and low – local – prices) for the kitchen + my room and also persuaded the stingy part in me to invest some mbeca for a decent 6 kgs K-GAS meko/gas cooker. The rest of the money was spent on a nice sufuria, flllying pan and vegetabols. And nyama, of course! After all, I urgently wanted to cook for myself and start with a decent steak or at least some beef – anything else but chicken and or – even worse – goat meat.

Roasted goat meat – mbuzi choma…as nice as it is – at 4 pm the city town was already covered by the smell of mbuzi choma and the butchery at our shopping complex was crowded with the usual saturday-evening-nyama-choma-customers who all had their share of the 5 cows which were slaughtered today. I opted for some beef and asked for some nice filet pieces. 1/2 kg for 80 Ksh. – sawasawa, ama?

Sukuma (already cut) and cabbage @ 10 bob each, some Kimbo cooking fat and my new cooking utensils – there you go, cooking your first meal in Embu downtown. Style!

06-10i-024

06-10i-025

Sukuma + cabbage + coriander + tomatoes + kimbo …

06-10i-026

beef + salt + milk + “simba mbili” curry (the BEST curry out there!) …

06-10i-027

A great meal, although the beef was wayyyyyy to stiff and should have been roasted instead. I think I won’t cook any meat soon and order it choma @ the bar next door. The sukuma thingy was very delicious though and really made my evening. Also, I really dig this cheapo stainless steel plate. Very easy to handle.

06-10i-028

And while cleaning the dishes, I came up with this practical “cutlery holder” mounted to the window frame. It’s simple, it’s free, it wins! (thx, Hash :-).

p.s.: while writing these lines, power went off again and the cool thing is: hakuna shida! Notebook + mobile phone = both run on battery. Great…
That is, I once lost ~ 10 pages of written text due to a power failure on my late Atari 1040 STF (home computer) way back in 1994 in Nbo so it really means much to me to be somehow independent from these frequent power cuts…

p.p.s.: CIRU, Kui, Mich, Daudi, Mbuzimoja…karibuni in Embu! Pls come and I will cook for you! :-)

kelele

Just around 8 p.m. on this Furahiday evening the whole of Embu experienced a power failure – and I was blessed with a wonderful new experience: a silent town.

The music @ the Night Club next door stopped playing, everything dark and I just reached out for my candoooools which I had bought the other day for exactly such situations.

Unfortunately, the electricity came back before I could fall asleep…electricity = 24h of music music music…soukous, benga, hiphop…and some Michael Bolton, Dolly Parton & other tortures. Well…if you can’t beat them, join them.

Cheers!

grilled chicken now available

My colleague called me from Kakamega and told me to go online and download a new binary file for the software we are currently using (the programmer compiled a new binary and had it sent to us – 1,3 MB, which is a lot for the average modem connection).

So I went out at 8 p.m., in the search of a decent inet/cybercafé for kesho asubuhi that would enable such a download. I think they were already closed by that time as I couldn’t find any and also some descriptions aren’t that reliable (“somewhere there down the road behind this building” (waving his hand into that direction). Somewhere can be anywhere.

“Mori turi te salutant” is what I first thought upon catching this scene with my cam:

06-10h-008

The bad news: these poor little (fat) kukus were sitting in front of “Morning Glory Hotel” here in Embu, with their feet tied together and awaiting their death “Furahiday” morning.

“Don’t you have any mercy with me?”, I asked the nearby waiter.

Waiter: “Me? Nooo..you see, they can already see their friends being grilled in the oven so they know what will happpen. We will cut their throats tomorrow morning.”

No wonder the place is called Morning Glory…

The good news: Safaricom GPRS works perfectly well. I just made the mistake of using a mixup of sent & own settings so it never worked. But then I thought about deleting all settings and trying it again with a clean installation et voil? : GPRS in Embu, the mobile phone connected via Bluetooth, everything at full speed and no need to look at the clock as the rates are charged per MB downloaded. It really works! Amazing….