GSM Enabled

I walked two blocks from the hotel, past several sidewalk vendors and around the jitney stop, then past this sign for DSL internet (from wanadoo, which I believe is a French franchise). I found the Orange mobile phone storefront, where teenagers were crowded around an SMS and voice mail demo; turns out the sales staff was running a weekly sweepstakes that gives away prepaid service. I bought myself a SIMM for the GSM phone I carried. I could have bought a prepaid SIMM for $2.50, but splashed out on the $5 plan instead. Checked my US voice mail instantly; super efficient. On the walk back I noticed that the sidewalk vendors sold many daily purchases like newspapers, snacks, cigarettes, and cheap sunglasses -- and two sold prepaid recharges for Orange and the competing network for $1 and up.

Try sending me an SMS, at +261-32-426-2788, or even phone me if you want -- but you might check that it's not the middle of the night here first... (Normally I wouldn't put a phone number on a blog, but what the heck, the number will be dead when I leave a week from now.)