Best device to call USA from Africa?

[TakeMeLord]

I am returning to Africa. While there, I want to communicate with family and job in the USA.

What device do you recommend?

Talk, text and send photos frmo Africa to USA.

Thank you and God Bless, Dale

 

[BourbonTrail]

Any smart phone if you have the WhatsApp or Signal app. They work on WiFi, which most places have in camp nowadays. I called my wife every evening and sent her pictures at lunch if I saw something interesting (can’t do that if your in the bush during lunch, but you get the general idea).

A satellite phone is better for calls or text in remote places (i.e., Garmin InReach)

Edit: T-Mobile now has a satellite option you can buy to use Starlink direct from your phone, so it is like having a sat phone/smart phone.

 

[grand veneur]

The best place to ask about that is at the camp. They will be able to help you depending on what they have available.

 

[Rimbaud]

Also, most cellphone carriers have international plans that you can activate for $10 or $12 a day. I have this automatically set on my plan so that I don’t have to fiddle with this detail when traveling, and can thus stay quasi-connected to my office, family, etc. That said, WhatsApp, which you download, seems to be the prevalent way for international comms. A Garmin InReach is good for when you are off grid and have no cell service.

 

[Racer00]

Not trying to derail, but Iphones now can satellite text (just did it last week in Montana mountains), has anyone tried it on the African continent? I am headed to Zim later this week. More curious than in need of this service. Just wondering if anyone has any first hand experience. Thanks

 

[Bandera]

We use What’s App, the international plan on our iPhones and Satellite Texting feature.

 

[zephyr]

If your camp has WI FI you can also use tghe Wi Fi calling on your phone

 

[Franco]

I've had a SAT phone for years, but Starlink makes WIFI calling on your phone so easy.

Ask the camp where you will be staying if they have Starlink.

I will say, my SAT phone has come in real handy when Starlink or some other form of cellular or WIFI was not available.

 

[PARA45]

I'll second what @BourbonTrail posted. I've used WhatsApp in the Kalahari & Eastern Cape without any issues.

Where in Africa are you going?

 

[JimP]

If you go the cell phone international route make sure that it works and or will work.

On my last trip all I managed to do was to spend the day rate twice without being able to place or receive a call. I did receive the text from Verizon that my plan was active for the next 24 hours and that my plan had been charged the fee.

WiFi in camp was very spotty with it mostly only working in the dining area and even then it wasn't that good.

 

[Denvir Tire]

Install a virtual Sim card with a prepaid quantity of data. Your phone will work as normal anywhere with cell signal. These Sims are country specific however, so SA is easy and Namibia is not.

 

[wyosteve]

Can also use a Garmin Inreach/Messenger if no wi-fi or cell service. I used the Messenger and iPhone texting on an Alaskan hunt this spring. Garmin was heads above the iPhone. The iPhone took a while to connect to the satellite and you had to keep turning to maintain the signal.

 

[MacJenkins]

Cell service seams to get better and better everytime we go. I started taking a Starlink mini which has been fantastic. Proved to be very valuable last trip as a few times we needed to get in touch with Camp while out in the bush. Saved us hours of driving several times.

 

[kpoynter]

Yep… gone are the days of hauling a Sat Phone
99% chance you will use your cell and easily
Either WiFi or Starlink proper now
I’ve used cell now in Zim, Bots, Namibia, and South Africa
In the Kalahari once they had very weak WiFi but that’s it

 

[Twraska]

We have SA workers on the farm, pretty much everyone uses WhatsApp for voice, video and text. I’ll say that most of the time it is clearer voice than ‘regular’ cell phone. The question is how to get WiFi at your location. Network interruptions seem to be the norm there.

 

[wesheltonj]

I would suggest using T-Mobile and adding the international plan. It's $50 for 30 days of 15GB of data and unlimited calling and texting. Without that plan, it's unlimited text and call are .25 per minute or free to the USA on WiFi. Some plans include Starlink others it's $10 per month. You just have to be careful about how much you use the international roaming. Too much and you will get cut off. One trip or two trips a year, no problem. If you're like my daughter she's borderline about to be cut off of data.

You can always also use WhatApp as long as you have WiFi. Or an eSim Their are multi-countries eSim's available.