Comments on: Safaricom 3G is here

By: zach

zach — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:08:54 +0000

when are you guys rollin 3g in kisumu,we are waiting in earnest.

By: Bernie

Bernie — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:11:12 +0000

Antony, this issue was addressed in the local daily.The trick is a simple sambaza.Any of such messages should be forwarded via sms to 333 (free).The report will be investigated and action taken.Possibly, the numbers used within the text message will be blocked.

By: Anthony Kiragu

Anthony Kiragu — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 13:34:21 +0000

Hi,

webmaster@Safaricom.co.ke. does not seem to work so i used this link. i hope you will pass it on.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Dear Sir,

This afternoon I received a cell phone text message from +255 756 231 756 advising that I “Press *140*28*000254714510387# then press call button to get free hours &minutes, bonga-points special offer from safaricom the better option” (sic).

This being a Tanzanian number, I called and a man with a Kenyan “mtaa” accent answered in Swahili “Hapa ni Safaricom”.
He seemed worked up that I did not believe him and I hung up.

Please investigate because this number might empty subscribers’ M-PESA accounts.

Sincerely,

By: bernie

bernie — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:38:50 +0000

Zak,
Interesting observation but again unfortunately it wont work. Of course you may change to any APN in any phone but:

The blackberry.net APN makes a direct connection to Blackberry service (RIM) at the UK via mobile operators (in this case Safaricom). At RIM (www.rim.net/) the device details are compared to the billing details,etc. Among these is a unique Blackberry PIN assigned and associated to blackberry devices only.Any other device would lack this PIN and hence not allowed to connect to the internet !

By: zak

zak — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:51:36 +0000

Whats the point of goin through all the trouble of crackin wep keys only to get unreliable internet and after consumin fuel n time just 2 get 2 d hotel/airport and not bein certain you’ll crack the wep. My main aim is 2 get d fastest and most reliable, available 24/7, net der is at a reasonable cost.

@bernie
I hav not tried it on d blackberry yet but on d nokia s40/s60 fons under modem options i can choose wateva apn i want my pc 2 connnect with. If i i dnt choose blackberry.net as my modems apn, i dnt believe it will revert back 2 safaricom once i connect usin my pc. I hop its d same with d blackberry…

By: kimutai

kimutai — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:15:21 +0000

Forget about 3G and web. If u want fast and reliable internet,just find yourself a nice hotel with WIFI and crack their WEP key and voila free internet,reliable and unlimited. slow speeds though.

By: bernie

bernie — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:49:08 +0000

Zak,
Correction. The unlimited internet can only be used on your blackberry device.This is because you use the blackberry.net APN which has been configured specifically for the blackberry service. Once you use it as a PC modem, you will have to dial-up using the normally charged Safaricom APN.
Try it! Not as free as you thought!

By: zak

zak — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:25:08 +0000

Btw you can get safcoms unlimited downloads/uploads if u get a blackberry on their postpaid. I had totally forgotten bout dat. I might just get it, dn use d blackberry as my laptops/pc 3g modem

By: bernie

bernie — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:02:32 +0000

Unlimited downloads? Such offers come with competition. Orange have muscle and loads of experience. Im sure crazy offers will surely hit the Kenyan market.
Saqib,
I dont forsee Celtel launching 3G in the near future for the simple reason that such an infrastructure requires huge amounts of investment. Celtel had better continue with increasing their subscriber numbers before making huge steps in data.With such low tarrifs, Im sure they’ll reach the business sense of investing in 3G(an extremely huge step) in the long run.
Ive been a safaricom subscriber since its inception and I still dont understand why people have to queue for their service. Kenyans are really peculiar if u ask me. 90% of all queries can be answered without spending long hours at the queue!
You are spot on the the sporadic nature of its network but I dont think anything network beats their 3G! Even KDN’s butterfly feels the pinch!

By: Saqib

Saqib — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:39:41 +0000

I hate safaricom for the most stupidest of reasons but very genuine…….firstly, come the weekend and the network goes on safari, ok maybe thats too harsh but lets face it, their services need to be really improved!! secondly their customer care numbers are ever busy and unanswered. thirdly i’d never in my most drunken state even think of paying a visit to a safaricom office for any damn sort of assistance. you all know the reasons and so do i.

perhaps i’m the only kenyan with an ounce of sense left in me to have never gotten myself a safaricom line but oh shit…guess what?? i bought their shares!!! Does that make me a lousy lazy bastard to have shares in a company whose line i have never purchased and make use of other kenyans ‘peculiar’ calling habits to rake in profits??? Or does that make me a parasite to feed on dividends in a company whose clients stands in 2km long queues and wait for a whole week to get a line activated?? you judge me but until or unless safaricom pulls up its socks, i’m not gonna use them. woe onto them if celtel carry on with their current service improvements, introduction of even lower tarrifs (face it, 65bob a day for unlimited cel-to-cel calls during peak hours beats safaricoms free service during offpeak hands down) and most importantly the entrance of econet!!!

Oh my celtel/kencel….i’m so glad that you exist even though you started off as being hopelessly expensive but atleast i dont have to go through this nonsense of not being able to get assistance as and when i need it.

Anyone have a clue as to when celtel will introduce 3G?? Their EDGE connection may not be breaking down but its pretty slow.

Kind rgds