Admittedly, I had solved two thirds of this problem this past summer. But I think it speaks to the rapidity of mobile phone coverage expansion that solving the last third was much easier than I expected it would be.
The problem: GPRS/Internet access on my various phones on all three of the GSM carriers in Uganda, MTN, Celtel, and Uganda Telecom (UTL). (For acronym explanations see footnoote*.)
Before I digress, here are the configuration options:
Celtel
Access Point Name (APN): internet.ug.celtel.com (alternate: wap.ug.celtel.com)
Username/Password: none
Authentication: none
Proxy Server: 192.168.100.10, port 9401 (wap clients use port 9201)
IP Address: dynamic (server-assigned)
DNS Address: dynamic (server-assigned)
Celtel will automatically configure some phones if you send an SMS to 175 with the message “internet” (Case-sensitive)Uganda Telecom
Access Point Name (APN): utweb
Username/Password: none
Authentication: none
Proxy Server: none
IP Address: dynamic (server-assigned)
DNS Address: dynamic (server-assigned)MTN^
Access Point Name (APN): yellopix.mtn.co.ug
Username/Password: none
Authentication: none
Proxy Server: none
IP Address: 10.120.0.138
DNS Address: dynamic (server-assigned)
^to use MTN, you also need to contact them to enable Internet on your account
I managed to get the Celtel configuration from a local office here in Mbarara, mostly by poking around on my phones and switching SIM cards until they pulled out the configuration manual and handed it to me. For MTN and UTL I went to the respective offices in Kampala to get the configuration instructions. This is the type of info I think would make sense to provide on their web sites – but generally the most information I can find is that they offer the service, with no information on pricing or how to connect them.
This trip I have three mobiles with me, the HP iPAQ hw6945 (Windows Mobile 5), my Treo 650 (Palm/GarnetOS), and the HTC s710 (Windows Mobile 6). MTN I still have only working on the HTC phone – I can get it to connect on the Treo, but can’t actually access the Internet. UTL is by far the easiest to configure – just enter utweb as the APN, and you are ready to go. Unfortunately, UTL’s coverage isn’t as consistent – while I have so far always been able to get MTN and Celtel in the rural clinics I’ve visited, UTL wasn’t reachable in the two clinics in Rubindi. Since I’m planning to use Treos for the SmartForms project I’m pretty relieved I managed to get Celtel GPRS working on mine.
The trick was (since the automatic configuration didn’t work – my phones seem to always be too new for them to have customized instructions available) was that the IP address they gave me was for a proxy server, not the phone. And proxy server configuration is moderately painful. On the Treo you can set up the GPRS connection through the “Prefs” app; click on “Network” for the GPRS settings. The nice thing about this one is that you can connect there and test the connection. Also in the “Prefs” app, click on “IBM Java VM” to set the HTTP Proxy to “192.168.100.10:9401″ (server:port). Then you also need to configure the proxy for Blazer, the web browser. Launch “Web” and cancel the download. From the Options menu select Preferences. You’ll see three tabs – click the Advanced tab, then click the “Set Proxy” button on the bottom right of the screen. Check “Use custom proxy” and enter 192.168.100.10 for the Proxy Server, and 9401 for the Port. From there you can go back to the browser and try to load a web page. (I generally use http://m.google.com.)
On the HTC, you configure one proxy for all of the applications. Go into connections (Settings->Connections->GPRS), configure Celtel as a “WAP Area Network”, and then set up a separate http proxy (Settings->Connections->Proxy) that connects the “WAP Area Network” to “Internet”. There are a lot of backwards things about configuring GPRS on the HTC. At first it seems straightforward – just add a new GPRS connection. But when you are like me, and you use the phone on lots of networks in lots of countries, then you also have to go in and set all the connections you aren’t using to connect to a non-Internet network (I use “Secure WAP Area Server”, since I don’t normally need that connection), and set the one you actually are using to “Internet”, or in the case of Celtel, to “WAP Area Network”.
What boggles my mind is the fact that people still need a book with individual instructions on how to set up GPRS for the phones. Even for the windows mobile phones, every phone has a different configuration – I still don’t know why MTN works on the HTC s710 wm6 phone, but not on any of the wm5 phones. The only possible reason I can think of is that its possible to specify “None” for authentication on the s710, while wm6 requires you to specify CHAP or PAP. I think, though, that the non-smartphones, especially the basic Nokias, work just fine.
So! Now you know how to get Internet service on your phone in Uganda. Happy surfing!
* General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is the protocol that allows you to access the Internet through a GSM mobile phone network. For those of you in the Bay Area, AT&T/Cingular and T-mobile are GSM networks – you can recognize a GSM network because they issue you a smartchip to put in your phone, also known as a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card. Your phone number is tied to the SIM card than your phone, so to switch to a new phone, you just need to remove the chip from your old phone and put it in the new one. As long as the new phone is not “locked” all your calls will be routed through the new phone.
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Now, on to the next frontier: GPRS in Ghana! =D
Actually, already took care of that… I did a blog post last June on setting up GPRS in Ghana:
http://ictdchick.com/blog/2007/06/22/staying-wired-via-wireless/
There’s a half-written set of instructions on how to set it up under ubuntu using the SAMBA and the Multitech modems somewhere… but not fully debugged yet…
A new company is opening in Uganda… (Warid)… Officially starting service this week… (http://waridtel.co.ug/gprssettings.php)
For completeness, here are its settings for GPRS in Uganda…
BTW, I liked your site.. being in public health & a techie involved in infectious diseases… (& BTW currently using iPhone & N95 in Uganda)..
Also, have an non-profit (http://eccauganda.com/) in one of the areas you were in (Lyantonde).. best danstan
WAP Access
Profile Name :
WARID WAP
Homepage :
wap.waridtel.co.ug
GPRS Settings
Proxy : Enable
Proxy address : 10.5.27.80
Proxy port : 8080
APN (Access Point Name) : wap.waridtel.co.ug
Username :
Password :
hi i have ejoyed this article.it is beautifull.
i did not know there pple in Uganda who enjoy there mobile phone as me.
i loved your settings and u try to getthe settings.
this is my secret.when our networks go astray,i once surfed free net.gud time.eric
i have problem ok setting my gprs pleas can u send me the setting through my phone numbe+2347086880511 that is it thanks
You’d think that the people in the brick and mortar storefronts might actually know these things, but I went into the actual Warid office at Garden City today to pick up a SIM pack, and had forgotten to write down the GPRS settings from Danstan’s comment… They had no clue!
I don’t really understand why the sales people are given instructions specific to particular phones. They should be just told the settings and given the basics on how to find those settings on different phones. And they should be told the right settings – I was told “wap” as the apn instead of the full “wap.waridtel.co.ug”, so of course it didn’t work. =P
Anyways… I have the card, and GPRS is now have GPRS working on this trip with both UTL and Warid. Celtel seems to have changed names to Zain, and my settings don’t seem to be working, so maybe the settings have changed too. I haven’t tried MTN yet, but apparently if you go to the right street vendor you can get a SIM chip with GPRS pre-enabled….
Your articles look interesting. ofcourse for us who are in IT and have been here for a while keep digging up for weakness’ in the data sector of these network providers! some of us have had free… internet acccess for years!! yah for years. MTN being the waekest to penetrate, mango and celtel respectively.. still researching on warid..Just contact me.
I BELIEVE IN, ” BEFORE U DO IT, BE SURE U CAN SECURE IT” otherwise you get cheated!!
Pls mail(samvic2008@yuurok.Com) me more about the total free browsing setup because i was been charge whenever i go to yahoo site
i need configuration of treo 650 on mtn nigeria network to make it browse for fee
I really appreciate this blog. However does anybody know the settings for free net when i have connected my mobile to the computer as a modem. if you do please email them to twicind@hotmail.com.
thanx
hey, can i access free internet with those configurations?email me.. thanks big
Hi everybody,my nokia 6300(s40) stop browsing operamini and other applications since mtn stop free browsing with the tricks loaded.mtnonline.com.i tried the new cheats but works when i have credit on my phone.is kind enough to asist? tessycole44@yahoo.com
pplpe….pls help me for MTN in nigeria or zain , for free broswn…{fikebrother26@yahoo.com
I have liked the info provided on this site. I wish we would have the initative extend to instant msg.
I KNOW THE FREE BROWSING FOR ZAIN CONTACT ME WITH
progress4youngstar@yahoo.com
i need free net browsing settings for
Mtn uganda and UTL
you can contact me on +2347039682316 for MTN and ZAIN latest freebrowsing in Nigeria. Alternatively, you can visit http://www.freebrowsingtools.blogspot.com
And if you have the Google phone, the settings need to be tweaked manually for MTN– you need the MCC: 641 and the MNC: 10
you should be able to get online with the settings above and these 2.
PS… When configuring the g-phone, make sure that the SIM card is enabled first (send SMS to 188 with “yellolive” as the subject). AND make sure that you have $$ on the SIMcard as well (that always helps!)
hey, i’ve fallen in lve with this article . thanks to whoever contributed. please help me get free internet with MTN.
hey, can i access free internet with those configurations?email me.. thanks big
u r doin a good work here bravo
I would like to know how I can configure my mtn uganda gprs settings for free internet access. Any help rendered will be appreciated.
Plz send me free browsing setting for zain n am in ghana.am using samsung a707 cingular.+233267031166
plz i need zain new settings to my phone.for june 2009
hey love the article. can you send me settings for free net on mtn and utl
are there any serious people here eh! give some details pliz post ur settings here. Am currently surfing free with zain but can`t download anything pliz! does anyone have an IP that supports downloads and access too SSL,HTTPS sites. pliz.! 0774615476,0712398528
Pls people…anybody ready and willing to lend me a hand.i would be very glad if i could receive settings for free browsing in Ghana for any network. My phne number is +233208460875 and e-mail is ”elmadorma@yahoo.com”
Hey,-mtn uganda- settings.am using nokia e50.hook a brother up,hav searched n failed.0782327077 or bch5q@yahoo.com.
Please i am in ghana how can i brows with mtn. please help me!