Africa - Cell Phone Coverage/Provider?

[BrianDrab]

Does anyone know how I would go about getting a phone that would work in the following countries in Africa? I called Verizon and they don't operate in those contries. Thank you.

Namibia
Botswana
Zambia
Zimbabwe

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

I have a friend there. I can ask him.

 

[BrianDrab]

Great! Thanks.

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Talked to my buddy. He told me that your best bet would be to buy a prepaid SIM cards. The one(s) he'd recommend are MTC for Namibia and MTN for Zambia. However, he mentioned that you may have to register the MTN SIM with your passport if you are a foreigner.
He thinks that BeMobile should be the best option in Botswana. Another option is Orange, which is I quote: Decent, but not as good as BeMobile.

Let me know if you require further explanations on any of these and I'll try to get them for you.

 

[BrianDrab]

Thank you. So if I buy a prepaid SIM card, that will work in my existing phone?

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

That should work with your existing phone unless it is locked by your carrier. I can't help you there because I am not familiar with the policies of your carrier since I don't live in the US. But I can tell you this: a phone can be unlocked by the carrier upon your request and then it will be able to work with other carriers.

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Device Unlocking Policies | About Verizon

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Me again. Talked to a guy in Namibia: MTC Namibia is the best option by far there, however, it is a bit pricey.

 

[BrianDrab]

Thanks again.

 

[jcgriff2]

@ Brian - make sure that you can remove your SIM card.

I recently bought a used Samsung phone thinking I would just take the SIM card from my old Samsung phone and put it in the new one, but the new phone did not have a SIM card slot. Verizon told me it was a "prepaid" phone - SIM card is built in and could not be changed.

Interestingly, I was able to activate the new used phone and now both phones work - same phone number.

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

That's a first I've heard of this. Phones without sim card slots??? Do you remember which phone was it?

 

[jcgriff2]

Please see my edit - last line in last post.

Both phones - Samsung Galaxy S3

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Must be something localized to the US. I know for a fact they can be replaced on the EU versions (a friend of mine had one), though not by plug and play method, but by replacing the slot AFAIK.

 

[jcgriff2]

The only slot in my new used Samsung Galaxy S3 is for storage.

 

[plodr]

Are you sure?
How to Put a SIM Card in the Samsung Galaxy S3: 8 Steps
YouTube
look for an empty slot.

I have a Galaxy J3 emerge. I bought it new at BestBuy and bought a storage card. The tech opened it up and inserted the storage card. My service is through VirginMobile (Sprint network). There was a sim card in it.

 

[zcomputerwiz]

SIM or no SIM can depend on the carrier and network - most GSM phones have a SIM slot, some CDMA phones don't.

Verizon uses CDMA but most of the world carriers outside of the US use GSM (as far as I know).
There are other issues to be aware of as well - the phone will have to support the 900/1800mhz frequencies where 850/1900mhz is used in the US.
Check which your phone supports, if a Verizon phone is advertised as 'international' it probably supports GSM and all four frequencies (quad band?).

Edit: Sprint is a CDMA carrier as well.