How to Keep your Device Internet Cost Down

I will like to let you in on a little secret, an open secret. Especially many of my Nigerian friends who generally have the wrong notion about any device that’s not using the BIS network: you can save a ton of money on what you pay network providers/telcos every month to let you use their internet juice.

Most people already use more than one device like two smart phones combination or one tablet computer, one dumb phone and one expensive smart phone and you know what? They pay internet subscription for each and every one of them. Wasteful, right? So how can you get rid of this money guzzlers?

First, like I always say, you need to research the device you are putting your money on and not just run out to buy the latest huhu – this is not a competition about who has the shiniest toy! For example, many bought the Amazon Kindle Fire in Nigeria not really know what to do with them after the show off week, these excellent machines are sitting in a closet somewhere gathering dust. This is because they discovered you couldn’t use it when there’s no wifi available and how many people have wifi available all the time? Not many.

Well, here’s the secret I’m driving at (they could have still kept their Fire if they knew this): you can pay subscription for one device and have it feed others. How? you ask.

Here’s how
Android powered devices come with what they call tethering. The ability to give internet juice to others! 🙂 Seriously, though, you can have one android powered phone (don’t care what brand, Samsung, Sony, Motorolla, HTC, Huawei, LG, whatever), pay for good data plan on Etisalat’s or Airtel’s 3.75g network or if you are feeling patriotic, Glo, and have this single phone give access to your tablet, laptop or another wifi-enabled phone. All these at the touch of one button.

So don’t be a sheep but a champion and do what’s right for you. Those folks running those companies sometimes couldn’t careless.

P.S. When you have have this strategy, you don’t need to pay extra for the 3G/Wifi flavour of your device like the iPad or the Galaxy tab – you can just do the Wifi, which is generally cheaper. Or you can get the amazing device shown above, the Nexus 7, cheap but a monster of device.

Laters!