How To Protect Your GSM Phone
Powerful Solutions Against
Phone Loss and Theft
By
Sagai John Adam
[Link]
Bonus Chapter:
Chapter 6: Top 10 Problems
of GSM Subscribers
There is no doubt that GSM has brought new opportunities,
new possibilities and a new way of looking at
communication in Nigeria. The three GSM network
operators, Econet Wireless, MTN and Nitel GSM have
been engaged in a “GSM Gospel race” to get as many
converts as possible. It seems to be working too! As at
August 2002, when GSM clocked its first year in Nigeria,
there were over 1 million GSM subscribers .
But one area that the network operators have not fared very
well has been in educating the GSM subscribers on GSM
telephony itself. This ignorance is the major caused of the
problems being faced by subscribers. It is also the cause of
much of the criticism being laced on the networks
themselves. Until subscribers are properly educated on
GSM, they will continue to blame the Operators for every thing.
So here they are, in no particular order: the Top 10 problems of GSM Subscribers.
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Problem #1:
Ignorance On How GSM Routes Calls And Its Health
Effects, If Any.
Most people don't understand how GSM routes calls. They don't understand how
important the incumbent operator, Nitel is to the whole equation. If they only knew that
Nitel, not known for efficiency, must carry
virtually every call, subscribers will criticize the GSM networks less.
When you try to make a call and you receive a "System is Busy" message, it could mean
a lot of things. Too many people may be trying to make calls at the same time. Even if
your call makes it through, it would have to compete with others to pass through the
limited "E1" lines provided by Nitel.
It is true that the GSM Operators are responsible for the congestion because they have
sucked in more subscribers than they can handle. It is also true that we can't get through
Nitel numbers because Nitel have not provided enough infrastructures.
The same goes for "dropped" calls and “per minute” billing.
Subscribers are yet to understand how these things are done and so they feel cheated by
the GSM operators. For example, when you are calling while driving and you move to an
area where there is no coverage, your call will be cut off. This also applies to the person
you are calling. It is only when both of you are stationary and the call cuts off then you
can rightly blame the GSM operators.
Another problem is the price of airtime tariffs. If the Government wants the GSM
operators to reduce their prices, they should first of all tell Nitel to reduce the N12 they
collect for terminating each call. They should also reduce what they collect as tax of
Telecom equipment. The GSM operators have also given some conditions that should be
looked into.
As long as people don't understand what goes into the calculation of airtime tariff, they
will continue to blame the GSM operators.
Ignorance of the health effect of using GSM Cellphone is also causing unnecessary
concern among subscribers. Will Cellphones cause explosions? If yes, why haven't we
had such explosions yet?
(There are certain conditions that must be met for an explosion to occur. Please read the
GSM Today (Issue #6) article "GSM Explosion??? Nah!" at the end of this Chapter.
The truth is that for every "scientific" study that says GSM phones cause problems, there
are other "scientific" studies that say GSM phones are safe.
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The next problems that plague GSM subscribers concerns the value-added services that
they don't enjoy because of ignorance.
Problem #2:
Cannot Set Up And Use The Voicemail Service.
Problem #3:
Cannot Set Up Call Forwarding To Their Voicemail.
Problem #4:
Do Not Specifying Their Phone Numbers In Voicemail
Messages.
When the GSM networks launched their voicemail services in 2001, they had less than
200,000 combined subscribers. During that period, they put out newspaper adverts
showing what to do to activate and use the voicemail services. Today in November 2002,
they have 1 million plus subscribers! Unfortunately, these new subscribers don't even
know that they have such services.
Another problem: the services are not automatic but require that the subscriber make a
call to set it up. How can subscribers set up what they don't know?
A solution could be the User's Guides. Yes, the GSM networks all gave out User Guides
to new subscribers. MTN's Pay As you Go User's Guide is far better and helpful than
Econet Wireless and Nitel GSM (which is yet to launch its voicemail service).
With MTN's Guide, you are shown what to do to set up your voicemail and even activate
Call Forwarding and other services. Econet Wireless User Guide for Buddie and Nitel's
User Guide for Rose Pay As You Talk are not detailed enough to help a subscriber do
these things themselves.
The general public is also yet to fully understand modern telecommunication services like
the voicemail partly because, our dear incumbent Nitel never provided such facilities.
The result is interesting. Some people are surprised to hear your voicemail message.
Some are at loss on what to do next and so they just keep silent and do nothing.
So here is what ignorance is doing:
- Subscribers are not enjoying their free voicemail service.
- Subscribers are forced to depend on the customer service for answers to simple
questions that could have been answered in the User Guide's.
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- Confused Callers are not leaving messages in voicemail.
Problem #5:
Forgetting To Identify Themselves In Text Messages
(SMS).
This is very common and annoying. Subscribers just send messages and assume that the
recipient will know who they are. The proper way is to always end your text messages
with your name. But can you blame subscribers? Almost all GSM subscribers are self-
taught. There is no "GSM Training school".
Problem #6:
Unknowingly Locking Their Phones By Entering The
Wrong Pin.
Econet Wireless and Nitel activated the SIM locks in the SIM cards they issued to their
subscribers. Unfortunately, subscribers are finding it difficult to always remember to
enter the correct PIN number EVERY TIME they turn on their Cellphone.
The result? If they enter the wrong PIN incorrectly 3 times, it blocks
your Cellphone! Nitel GSM did not give it's Royal subscribers the
PUK (Personal Unblocking Key) so they have to go to the Nitel
Office whenever they lock their phones.
By the way, anyone should be able to unblock his or her phones.
You can read how to in "Unblocking Your Phone" (GSM Today, Issue #9) at the end of
this Chapter.
Problem #7:
Cannot Differentiate The GSM Network In Their Phone
Numbers.
Most subscribers have taken to the wrong practice of jumbling all their phone numbers
together. It is common to see 08021234567. It is difficult to read and remember. Most
subscribers don't know that Econet Wireless, MTN and Nitel have different operator's
codes that are, 0802 for Econet Wireless, 0803 for MTN, and 0804 for Nitel GSM.
The correct way is to separate the operator code and the numbers with dashes like this:
0802-123-4567.
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Problem #8:
Incorrectly Charging Their Cellphones.
GSM Subscribers who have been recharging their cellphones indiscriminately run the
risk of ruining their Cellphone batteries. This is because the common Nickel-Hydride
batteries don't require recharging UNLESS it has fully run out. These kinds of batteries
are in the cheapest and common handsets like the Motorola T180.
The information is available in most Cellphone User's Guides but how many people ever
bother to read it?
And so once again, ignorance of how to properly charge their Cellphone batteries will
caused problems for GSM subscribers.
Problem #9:
Inadequate protection of their Cellphones.
Most GSM subscribers walk around with unprotected phones, relying on the SIM card
locks activated by the GSM networks which doesn’t give full protection. When the phone
gets stolen or missing, there is nothing to trace the phone back to them! A better method
is to lock the phone itself not the SIM card and to include your contact address in the
battery compartment.
Problem #10:
No Knowledge Of The Steps To Take When They Lose
Their Cellphone.
We will conclude this Chapter by looking at what steps you should
take to stamp out ignorance of GSM.
First of all you must read all you can. GSM Today was created just
for that: GSM subscribers’ education. The COMPASS section is
designed to help you find out more about GSM. It features links to
free Telecommunications magazines that you can subscribe to. There
are also a list of newspapers and the
day GSM is featured.
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You can go to the Econet Wireless and MTN wed sites and read their Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQ). Go to the sites that teach about Cellphones and learn all you can. Read,
read, and read.
The GSM Network Operators too have a role to play. Part of the reasons they are having
a lot of complaints is because they have not invested time to educate their GSM
Subscribers. That is why Econet Wireless "Wireless Talk", that was published every
week until august 2002 was a very good step.
MTN and Nitel GSM must put out regular information to their GSM Subscribers that will
go beyond the usual full-paged adverts. All the GSM Network operators need to also
create web sites for their Nigerian operations.
Unfortunately, GSM is still in its infancy in the country. There are no books, videos, CD-
ROMs, or TV programs currently available to help GSM Subscribers know more about
GSM Telephony. That will change some day, but until then, GSM Today E-zine will
continue to give out quality information on the GSM sector in Nigeria.
+---
Sagai John Adam is the Editor of GSM Today E-zine, which is Nigeria's FIRST E-zine
dedicated to helping people "recover their GSM investments". To SUBSCRIBE enter
your email address
at: [Link] or send email to [Link]
request@[Link] and put "subscribe" (without the quotes) in the Subject line of the
email
Further Reading
Read these past articles from GSM Today with
Solutions to some of these problems:
** Hello Congestion! (Issue #2)
To read it, click this link:
[Link]
** GSM Explosion??? Nah! (Issue #6)
[Link]
** Unblocking Your Phone (Issue #9)
** The Beginning of WI-SMS-DOM Part 3 (Issue #9)
To read them, click this link:
[Link]
** Common GSM Blunders (Issue #15)
To read it click this link:
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[Link]
** Preparing for the Evil Day (Issue #7)
To read it click this link:
[Link]
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