There are at least three ways to get mobile data in Ethiopia. They all require using an ETC sim-card (as far as I know, there are no data roaming agreements yet.)
EVDO
You can now buy an EVDO USB modem for about ETB 3000 (a bit less than US$300). There are two tarrifs – you can pay ETB 475 per month for up to 2GB download a month, or something astronomical for unlimited bandwidth.
The EVDO modem I have got does not take a SIM card – it has to be registered with ETC.
EVDO is much faster than the wired broadband internet available in Addis.
I haven’t worked out what happens when you reach your bandwidth cap – if you know, please tell us in the comments.
Mobile email using 3G
I am using a Nokia E71 for mobile email around Addis Ababa. My set up is:
- an unlocked Nokia E71
- a pay as you go 3G sim card from ETC (costs about ETB 300)
- RoadSync software to connect to my office Exchange Server
This means I am getting true “push” email – that is, new mail is pushed to my phone as they arrive. You can get the sim cards from ETC offices (eg in Edna Mall) or from a number of mobile phone shops around town (eg on Bole Road next to the New York Supermarket).
The 3G sim card uses the same scratch cards for credit top up as my mobile phone. The 3G data apparently costs ETB 0.20c per 1KB. I reckon I top up about ETB 100 Birr every two weeks.
Using Psiloc Connect reduces the data charge. It means that Roadsync accesses the data via wifi when there is a wifi signal available (we have wifi at home) and switches automatically to 3G when the wifi is out of range.
The setup for the 3G SIM card is:
- you need to dial 909 to register the SIM card
- the APN is “etc.com”
CDMA mobile data for laptops
Cheaper than EVDO with no monthly minimum fee, but much slower, is CDMA.
I have:
- a Huawei EC 325 CDMA data modem (costs about ETB 2300)
- a CDMA pay as you go SIM Card from ETC (costs about ETB 200)
- my normal laptop with a USB port.
The connection is not fast broadband; but the speed isn’t bad. It is about 5 times quicker than dialup. It is certainly good enough for checking email and surfing the web. But it isn’t as fast as EVDO.
To top up, you put the little earpiece into the modem to hear the call, then dial 903. Then choose 2, 1, 1, top up card number + #
The modem connection settings are:
Phone number: #777
Username: etc
password: etc
Moble data outside Addis Ababa
I have used my 3G phone and CDMA modems in Shashemane and in Awassa and they both worked well. A friend of mine reports that they work in Sodo too. I haven’t tried EVDO outside Addis Ababa yet.
There is no mobile data yet in Lalibela.
Please let me know in the comments if you find mobile data working anywhere else outside Addis.
Where to get the equipment or more advice
If you want detailed advice, speak to Enetie Bayabil, +251 (0)911 60 71 98. His shop is on Bole Road in the Getu Building, opposite the New York Supermarket (the place with the Statue of Liberty sign outside).
Some rights reserved
Hi all,
Does anyone have experience setting up a CDMA router for the ETC network here in Addis and can share key settings or where one can go to sort out the problem? I have a TP-LINK TL-MR3420 but haven’t as yet been able to get it to connect successfully. Many thanks,
Marc
I am working with NGO out in the sticks. CDMA has not yet reached. But we have GMS voice mobile so am I right in assuming GPRS should be there (albeit slower than CDMA)? Regarding configuring, do i just buy tariff as though I was buying CDMA, or do I stick with a voice tariff?
The ev-do is really good. I rented from a local store called red zebra, there website is redzebras.com from bole road.
Does anyone know if BIS (Blackberry Internet Service) can be activated in Ethiopia?
what is the port number, gateway ip address, the DNS address, username and password to access my nokia C9 mobile phone in ethiopia.
what is the port number, gateway ip address, the DNS address, username and password to access my nokia C9 mobile phone in ethiopia.
There is GPRS service in Gambela region. I use it by my nokia 6086 it have WI-FI but there is no free wi-fi. I tried to setup my stream setting. Can you help me streaming setting to get youtube?
Just back from a 3 week visit to Ethiopia. I found the Owen Abroad site very useful in planning for data connectivity, so here is my experience over the last few weeks:
* I used an unlocked iPhone 4, purchased unlocked from the online Apple store in Ireland, not hacked;
* I bought an ETC prepay 3G SIM card at their office close to the Railway Station in Addis Ababa. It cost 212 Birr and they activated it for data there and then. You need your passport and copies of your passport and visa;
* I used the network settings described in the post on this site dated September 12th 2010 post by Alex Trebek;
* This gave me 3G connectivity in Addis and Edge connectivity (slower) practically everywhere else in the country, including Gondor, Lalibella, Harar, Dire Dawa and Bahir Dar;
* Edge was good enough to use the iPhone 4 to check email and surf to Internet sites set up for low bandwidth mobile access;
* Where I had 3G connectivity I was able to set up a personal wifi hotspot with the iPhone 4 and use my iPad to surf the Internet and view normal sites;
* The data cost was low. Over the 3 weeks I sent 23MB of cellular network data and received 124MB and this cost me around 100 Birr (less than 5 Euro);
* So thanks again to all the contributors to this site and be confident that with the right phone and a bit of knowledge you can stay connected in Ethiopia;
The trip was wonderful. People friendly and helpful and the landscape unbelievable. Definitely worth a trip.
Brian
Follow up comment:
* I forgot to say that the iPhone 4 uses a microsim and the ECT 3G SIM needs to be cut down to size to fit in the iPhone 4. You can buy up a puncher to transform the SIM to a microsim on eBay or lots of other sites on the Internet. Best to bring this with you to Ethiopia.
Brian
Brian did you try to use the sim card on your ipad to see if that would work instead of using wifi ?
Fasil
Fasil,
Thanks for your question. I did not try to use the mobile phone micro-sim in my iPad in Ethiopia. From reading information on the experience in the USA I note that Apple and the mobile carriers discourage the use of a phone micro-sim in an iPad, but that it is possible provided you change the APN settings on the iPad.
One extra point I forgot in my November 29th postings: you need to bring passport size photos to the ETC office to get the 3G Sim card.
Brian
Cut down Ethio Telecom SIM cards work fine for data on an iPAD. Just set up the same settings as you would on your phone.
Officially the data cost is 400 Birr per GByte of traffic. I always seem to spend rather less than this.
Just as an update on the EVDO situation – Prices have changed. You can now get three differnt deals: 300 Birr per month for 1Gbyte, 500 for 2 and 700 for 4 GB per month. When you go over within the month you need to top up as normal and it costs 350 Birr per Gbyte (actually 0.35 Birr per Mbyte so you just pay for what you use) once you have gone over your limit. To change your settings just go to an ETC office with ID card (or passport) and the number of your account – it takes about 1 minute.
HTH
Andrew from Addis
Brian and Andrew, thank you for your responses.
From my understanding then, 400 Birr per Gbyte is for 3g service and 350 per Gbyte is for evdo.
for the 3g service, does the money expire at the end of the month or until you use it up ?
For evdo, must you buy one of the deals or can you just pay as you go ?
These are for my parents, who will not be coming anywhere near the Gigabyte neighborhood
The 3G service does not expire until you use it up – you charge the phone for telephone and 3G service at the same time – simply dial #805*# and then press call. Done.
There is no pay as you go for EVDO. You need to buy a stick, go to ETC and give phococopy of ID card or Passport and visa. Then you need to charge EVDO by using your mobile phone. Instructions will be given when you register. If you go to the ETC office at the railway station (La Gare), the people are very helpful and knowedgeable.
Andrew
how can i use mobile internet in my divice blackberry 9105 pearl 3g there is available mobile network in addis ababa and also my sim card is activeted internet. But i can’t use internet. my mobile is already configurated so how can i get this service can you help me?
Hi Owen,
I read your article but found no info on how to actually use the 3G sim card on a BB? I have the small edge appear, not EDGE or 3G on the network icon.
Also it won’t let me make voice calls and surf the net. Just got it, how long does it take to activate?
Hi! I am wondering if a prepaid micro Sim can be purchased in Addis? I plan to take an unlocked iPhone4 to a friend there next week and want to be sure he can get the prepaid cards.
Thank you.
Hi Amy,
I know you can get a prepaid 3G SIM card in Addis, but I am unsure if you can get a micro SIM. But you can cut down a SIM to a micro SIM using a punch tool or with a sharp knife and a template. Google “make a micro sim from a regular sim” to see what I mean. If you are not keen on DIY, it may be worth taking the SIM to some of the IT shops mentioned in this blog to see if they can make it into a micro SIM.
Your friend will love the unlocked iPhone 4.
Brian
Does anyone have experience using a blackberry in Addis? I’ll be there for 3 weeks and hope to use my blackberry bold to access data (BBM mostly). Any thoughts would be great. Thanks.
Sparkle,
I have used the blackberry on both trips I was there, but I could only get SMS and phone service working. I was never able to get data working no matter what I tried and even when the network on the phone clearly displayed “3G”.
On a side note, from my experience there was a trick to get service at all (lots of times it would say only SOS service). To connect to the network properly, I would send an SMS text even though I had only SOS service. This would seem to establish a connection to the ETH MTN cell provider. Some times this didn’t work either so I had to then reboot the phone…. I also tried various attempts to turn off 3G service (use only 2G), research for network, etc…, but only had mild success and usually didn’t work for very long (few minutes). With the SMS method it seemed to work until I moved (transfer cell tower I assume).
My local provider in US is ATT and I did not try to use an Ethiopian SIM card which I was thinking might work better, but my phone is locked.
Thanks,
Sten and Amy
Thanks Sten & Amy. I’ve had the exact same experience in past years! I was there 2 years ago and was able to get SMS to work – never could in the past. But I was using a Canadian Rogers SIM card. I was thinking of getting my phone unlocked, or purchasing a cheaper unlocked phone and buying an Ethiopian SIM card there. Just dont know if its worth doing that with my Blackberry or if I should just upgrade to an unlocked iPhone or Android as I was planning to any way.
How can i use internet in ethiopia,with blackberry mobile aparatus?
I am planing to to visit ethiopia in the nexct couple of months. I would like to know if i can use my unlocked iphone to use the Data. I am planing to teather my iphone to my laptop did any one tried that.
can i buy evdo mdm outside of ethiopia and use it in ethiopia?
thank you in advance
I have a zte ac2726 cdma/evdo modem. The cdma part works fine. 3 days ago having taken out the cdma sim card I registered for evdo service, but when I try to connect i get a 678 remote computer didnt respond error message. It has the 15 birr that comes preloaded with the service but i dont want to add more until i know it works. Any help is appreciated.
abdul, you can use an unlocked iphone as long as it has a sim card (gsm not cdma). You can buy a 3g sim card from et tele but you need to cut it to be a micro sim card. You can but a sim card cutter online -pretty cheap.
Abdul,
You can even get your SIM card cut here in Addis by going to the Apple shop (Opposite Beer Garden Hotel between Bole road and Edna Mall).
I would be careful about buying teh EVDO modem outside Ethiopia in case it is one that Ethio Teecom cannot set up. They are cheaper now, around 1500 Birr.
Andrew
thanks you very much the information
ETC’s service is visiblly progressing. These days however you cannot use the card u buy. Niether *805* nor 909 recieve recharging card numbers. It is causing people to loss many things evryday. Does it have any connection with *806* survice? As a strategy? I don’t know.
@ Fasil, the error number 678 is if your device is not getting network, so either your number is not active or your evdo dongle needs to be unlocked. I can help you if you still didn’t solve it.
Regards,
Sol, thanks for the response. you are right they hadn’t turned it on; I made the mistake of going to the ETC office @ sidist kilo instead of the one at Legahar where they are better informed about EV-DO services.