Well, it looks like we missed Starcomms’ announcement of its WAP service back in December 2008. But its better late than never:

Starcomms Plc, Nigeria’s 4th largest telecommunications operator, has introduced the Starcomms WAP service. The Starcomms WAP service offers value added data applications, Ringtone, Games, Wallpaper, Truetones, MP3 tones, Animations etc to Starcomms CDMA Mobile subscribers through their WAP and data enabled handsets. With this new product, a Starcomms subscriber can access these services by launching the WAP Client in their WAP and data enabled handset, which will take the user to default WAP homepage – Starcomms WAP. This homepage will carry the link to the value added data application.

The customers will have access to a whole lot of features and functionalities like Downloads; which enables users to Download Content like Polyphonic Ringtones, Wallpapers and Games onto his Handset, Surf; which gives the customer the ability to Surf other WAP sites like Yahoo, Rediff etc. Other exciting content would be introduced from time to time.

According to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Maher Qubain, the service will be available to all Starcomms subscribers whose handsets currently support WAP, such handsets include; Haier D1200, Nokia 6275, Moto K1, Motorola W385, Coolpad C288. The Company shall launch a wider varieties of handsets in the nearest future that shall also support the WAP application. Customers who currently have any of these handsets may access the service through the WAP browser on their handset.They however have to visit the nearest Starcomms shop for registration and update of their handset in order to be able to access the WAP service.

The Marketing Director, Starcomms, Manoj Vashisht equally promised a whole lot of other exciting contents on the Starcomms WAP portal. These includes special categories of contents ranging from Wallpapers, Animations, True tones, MP3 tones, Polytones, Video, Games, Cartoons, News, Themes, Monotones, Picture Message, Religious Content etc. The prices for the downloadable contents are expected to be highly competitive and affordable to all.

As introductory offer during the launch period, Starcomms intends to offer customers Free downloads on the Free Zone category. This will enable customers to understand the new application, and enjoy the new service.

Mr. Vashisht added that customers would be notified of the applicable charges whilst downloading the content to enable customers decide their choice of downloads. On the quality of content, efforts have been made to ensure that there are adequate local contents by creating special categories such as Nigerian Zone, African zone that incorporates contents such as Wallpapers, Truetones, Polytones etc. There are other categories like Hollywood, Soccer and Racing Zone, that also contain the top downloads.

You can download the complete press release (in PDF format): Starcomms Launches WAP

The Symbian Foundation has launched its new logo. Take a look:

Looks like someone’s first attempt with CorelDraw. Doh!

I cannot help being mobile data oriented. Data on the go is what I’ve been all about from the word go. So, if you will excuse me, can I take us back about 6 years to the dusty lanes of 2003 to 2005?

Of course, GSM dial-up had existed in Nigeria before 2003. As far back as early 2002, I had used CSD from MTN. It was unstable, and very often failed, but at least it was there. But, let us be content to go back only as far as 2003 when the technology had achived a certain stability.

2003 was early days for GSM technology in Nigeria, and more specifically for GSM data services. Everyone is excited about high speed internet today, what with 3.5G, 3G, and even EDGE coverage spreading wider and wider. Even basic GPRS, where it exists today, is heaven compared to what we had to settle for in the beginning.

Yes; in the beginning, there was GSM dial-up. The technical name is Circuit Switched Data (CSD). But if you are old enough to know how dial up internet works, basically CSD means that you use your GSM line to dial a given phone number in order to connect to the internet.

The cost was N50 per minute then. And the theoretical maximum speed was – wait for it – 9.6kbps!

CSD was first deployed by Mtech on the MTN network sometime between late 2001 and early 2002, and then also on Vmobile (now Zain) in 2005. Just for kicks, I have pulled out the CSD settings from my archives and will post them here (just in case someone has a hair-brained inspiration to try it out).

MTN

Profile Name: Mtech
username: mtech
Password: mlife
IP/Gateway: 192.168.77.153
Port: 9210
Dialup number: 08039002000 (f
Data type: analogue
Data speed: 9.6kbps
Connection: connectionless
Home: http://web.mlifeng.com (or use http://mobinaija.com instead)

Vmobile (now Zain)

Profile Name: Vactive
username: wap
Password: wap
IP/Gateway: 172.018.254.005
Port: 9210
Dialup number: +2348022981000
Data type: analogue
Data speed: 9.6kbps
Connection: connectionless
Home: http://wap.vmobile4me.com (or use http://mobinaija.com instead)

3rd Party Dialup Services

I also remember vividly that Disc Communications Ltd (Discomm) had a dial-up service made available to the public. I used this regularly with my smartphone’s built-in mail client to manage my mails.

The Discomm details are/were(?) as follows:
Provider’s name: DISC
username: test
password: test
dialup number: 013459000

From: “Yomi Adegboye”
To: care@etisalat.com.ng
Subject: Bridging The Digital Divide
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 12:25:30 +0100

Dear Sirs,

This mail is to bring to your attention the tremendous opportunity available to Etisalat Nigeria in the area of mobile internet services in the country.

At the moment, there is a gaping vacuum in the mobile internet terrain in the country, especially with the older network operators providing less than satisfactory data services.

We are of the informed opinion that this is an opportunity for Etisalat to step up to the plate with bundle internet packages similar to those being offered currently by MTN, Zain and Glomobile.

If well packaged, even if at slightly higher tariffs, bundle data plans from Etisalat will instantly offer an alternative and succour to millions of subscribers stranded on the often less than satisfactory data services on ground at the moment.

Thanking you for your time, and looking forward to Etisalat stepping to the plate with bundle data plans.

Yours faithfully,

Yomi Adegboye
Chairman/CEO
Alireta Nigeria Limited
http://www.alireta.com
——————————–

The above was the mail I sent to the Etisalat Nigeria careline earlier today. The mail was returned undelivered for the following stated reason:

care@etisalat.com.ng
SMTP error from remote mail server after end of data:
host mail.etisalat.com.ng [80.248.2.141]: 550 5.7.1 Message rejected due to content restrictions

Rather odd. There was nothing else in the mail beside text I will re-send it later and hope that it goes through this time.

The truth, however, is that Etisalat is sitting on a goldmine, but seems not to be taking up the challenge. The voice market is largely, relatively saturated. But the mobile internet market? It is so under-tapped that this is the very area that Etisalat can take advantage of to spread its tentacles.

Related Reading:
1. Whither Mobile Internet, Etisalat?
2. Etisalat’s Uncompetitive Mobile Internet Tariff
3. EDGE on Etisalat: First Impressions

Here is my updated list of the best mobile internet deals at the moment. Because we currently have two types of mobile platforms running side-by-side in the country (GSM and CDMA), I am presenting one network per technology platform.

Both networks on my list offer a variety of packages, giving subscribers great choice in their respective terrains. Both networks also give subscribers the option of browsing directly on their phone or on PC (netbook, laptop, desktop, etc)

Zain Nigeria

Zain is a GSM-based mobile operator. Zain Mobile Internet is delivered on GPRS, EDGE (up to 234kbps), 3G and HSDPA (up to 1.8mbps), depending on coverage in your locality. Zain’s packages:

1. Pay As You Use
No bundle
Cost: 15kobo per kilobyte

2. Zain Day (24-hour bundle)
Bundled Data: 50MB
Cost: N500.00
Activation: Load N500 and dial: *141*712*3#

3. Zain Lite (24-hour bundle)
Bundled Data: 100MB
Cost: N1,000.00
Activation: Load N1,000 and dial: *141*712*4#

4. Zain Pro (24 hours for 30 days)
Bundled Data: 1GB
Cost: N5,000.00
Activation: Load N5,000 and dial: *141*712*1

5. Zain Max (24 hours for 30 days)
Bundled Data: 3GB
Cost: N10,000.00
Activation: Load N10,000 and dial: *141*712*2#

Zain Mobile Internet (ZMI) must be active on your line before you can subscribe to any of the above plans.

To activate ZMI, visit a Zain centre, call Customer Care on 113 or send an SMS with the word ‘internet phonebrand model’ to 232 e.g. “internet sonyericsson P910i” to receive your settings.

ZOOMmobile

ZOOMmobile is a CDMA-based operator, deploying both CDMA 1x (50Kbps – 100Kbps Upload and Download with bursts to 144Kbps) and EVDO Rev A (600Kbps-1,400Kbps Download with bursts to 2.0Mbps; 500Kbps-800Kbps Upload with bursts to 1.8Mbps), also depending on your location. ZOOMmobile internet packages include:

1. Easy Time (24 hours for 30 days)
Bundled Data: Unlimited
Cost: N10,000.00

2. Busy Time (24 hours for 14 days)
Bundled Data: Unlimited
Cost: N5,000.00

3. Rest Time (11pm to 6am for 30 days)
Bundled Data: Unlimited
Cost: N5,000.00

4. Relax Time (6pm to 11pm for 30 days)
Bundled Data: Unlimited
Cost: N5,000.00

5. Cool Time (Friday 8pm to Sunday 10pm for 30 days)
Bundled Data: Unlimited
Cost: N5,000.00

6. Day Time (8am to 6pm for 30 days)
Bundled Data: Unlimited
Cost: N7,000.00

Subscription for all above ZOOMmobile plans can be done at any ZOOMmobile centre.

If you have reason to use Opera Mini regularly, one of the limitations you may have run into is that of not being able to open multiple windows. Well, here’s a blast from the past that from the days of the good old Russian hacks of this mobile browser: Opera Mini 3.10!

This version of Opera Mini lets you open multiple windows while browsing. It is also highly customisable: modify the colour of tabs, menus, links – everything!

Download: Opera Mini v3.10. Important! It is recommended that you download to your PC and then install to your phone via PC.

No; this is not an April Fool’s gimmick Here’s a screenshot of the app running on the Nokia E90: