MEMORY LANEINTRODUCTION OF HANDSETS IN NIGERIA
AND MY FIRST EXPERIENCE
ABSTRACT
This is my story, a part of my life that shaped me into who I am. I’ve been a tech blogger since 2011, writing about mobile phones, computers, gadgets, and software’s, out of curiosity and raw passion that was born the day I first held a mobile phone in my hand.
Caleb Olayiwola
Walking back in memory lane in the era of the arrival of mobile phone in Nigeria, I realize there are lots of memories to share. This story concerns me, and it is part of my life in general, although you may find yourself in the same shoe as mine if you reside in Nigeria and you are 25 years old and above.
The history of mobile phone in Nigeria started in 1999 during the reign of the Nigeria Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo. I was a young chap (still I am) who lived in one of the remote area in the city of Ibadan. Internet was a rare gem that only those that were extraordinarily rich can afford; the only communication service provided back then were landlines, that were for the most part offered by NITEL Telecom. Only wealthy people and companies could afford to use landlines in their homes and offices as the cost was more than what the average common man could afford.
The rumors of mobile phone first began in late 1998, and started to spread until early 2000. I was in my first year at a high school when the first GSM mobile network carrier arrived to Nigeria, called ECONET (now Airtel). Despite the arrival, it took some time before the news spread and for the people to be aware, but it was not long before the first land-shake that MTN joined the queue. This sparked things up.
I can't find words strong enough to describe how it was like for men at the time to see someone holding a bulky plastic with buttons and talking to long distance friends and relatives over the air with no wires and strings attached. We were not that local, but revolution always bring surprises. My dad was a businessman, and since I was a child I had noticed that he liked anything technological. You may be working in a computer shop and still not have any interest in computer, but he had that passion for advance things.
It was in the year 2001 that my dad bought his first GSM phone, a Motorola GSM (after doing a long research I later found out it was called Timeport™ P7389) with an antenna. The handset as far as I could remember cost him about #35,000 NGN, which equates to more than #100,000 NGN now, and that was the price for the phone only.
SIM cards price back then were so expensive that people will first have to buy a phone and leave it in the drawer for weeks to work for the money to buy a SIM and
activate the line. MTN SIM was price within the range of #22,000 - #30,000, and their subscription plans and charges were terrific.
If you have a mobile phone back then, your value will automatically increase in the community.
My experience with a mobile phone first started when I was in my year two at a high school in 2002. One of my brother's friends, whose name I won't mention, bought his first GSM phone (second hand), the Nokia 5110. It was a legendary handset in the Nigeria history.
The phone was widely used because it was so strong, lasting, and can survive heavy fall without damage. It was in vogue till 2005 (still exist till about 2007 for phone booth operators) before it got buried in the dust of time.
It was the first time in my life holding a GSM phone. I navigated around, and the first thing I remember doing was playing its pre-loaded game (Snake). Since then I moved closer to this young man and I love to play with his handset. The phone is quite heavy and it can pull the trouser off the waist with its weight when put in the pocket. It had to be held in hand because of its heaviness and size.
I bought my first mobile phone in 2007, the Samsung C100. It was very slim and fancy. Its 7-LED notification light was attractive enough to convince anyone that they had bought a good product. Samsung were known to be attractive - the company lure most of its buyers with the flashy colorful notification light placed above the screen of their phones. At night, you'll see people turning the light on just to prove they were in town.
The Samsung C100 was a good phone to me back then until it started acting funny, taking 20 minutes to pick up network signal and randomly losing signal every minute, a disease well known to its kind. It was such a complicated thing that I found myself having to stand on high ground just to make calls (don't laugh), but things went smoothly later.
I cannot count the number of phones I have used till date, but here are few I can remember: Sagem MY X-5, Sagem MY X-7, Nokia 3310, Motorola C170, Sony Ericsson T610, Nokia N70, Nokia 5330 Xpress Music, Nokia 2700c, Nokia 2760, Nokia 6220, HTC G2, and HTC Incredible Droid 2. The list goes on.
What bring this topic? I was searching for a copy of book titled "Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmole" that I bought years ago and I was forced to search deep into my wardrobe when I saw my dad first handset, the Motorola Timeport, and my old Sagem MY X5. It brought lots of memories. It turned out that the Sagem MY X5 still works.
Nigeria has grown rapidly in the mobile industry sector since then, and is recorded as one of the "fastest growing GSM markets in Africa", according to NCC.
“The rotation of the earth on its axis is but a little movement compared to the revolution of lives within it”
Personal Journal
Introduction of Handsets in Nigeria and My First Experience
Written by Caleb Olayiwola
Date March 2015
URL https://about.me/caleb-olayiwola
Caleb Olayiwola