IPhone usage in Mauritius?

Hi Nina,
Do you have the Iphone 3G/3GS or the 4G?
If you have the 4G, it will be a bit tricky since to my knowledge Orange (the sole provider for Iphone in Mauritius) do not sell the micro-sim seperately. However, you can get a normal one and cut it to the size of the micro-sim. I've done that and it works.
You can get your sim from either Emtel or Orange. They will both work on the phone if it is unlocked. I've personally used both on my phone last year without problems.
For mobile internet i would recommend you to go with Emtel. Their service is better, slightly cheaper than Orange, they were the first in Africa to provide 3G etc..It won't be unlimitted surf, there will be a cap, however if you use more you will be pay for the xtra, just as any other contract or pay as you go deal in Europe.
Itunes is available in Mauritius, full-access to the app-store etc.. Remember ITunes and Apps-store are Internet based application and available worldwide (may be with restrictions in some countries, but not in Mauritius). However I am not too sure they will accept payment details of a Mauritian card. They probably do but I cannot confirm. Maybe someone else on the blog might confirm that.
I've used both my 3G and 4G while on holiday at home. Feel free to ask any more questions.
Have a fabulous time in Mauritius.

Regards,
Sachin

Sachin,
Thanks a lot for quick and very useful reply! My iPhone version is the 3GS, so then I won't have any major issues with the card. And good to know about Emtel, I thought I had no choice but Orange. Yes I know that iTunes is worldwide, just wanted to make sure that there were no restrictions for Mauritius.
So thanks again; good news!

If anyone else has something to add, please feel free.

Krgds,
Nina

Hi,

Did you buy an unlocked phone off the shelve or was it jailbroken?1

If it is Jailbroken, if you connect to Itunes/ appstore and update the phone, it will get locked again!! keep that in mind!

As for the network provider, if it is unlocked, I guess you can choose any network provider. Your choice should depend on the Network provider your friends/family have as on both networks, calling the other network costs same as calling international.
Call rates are basically Same network one price, other networks and international calls one price.

Hope that helps,

Cheers,
Musheer

sachin_seesurrun wrote:

However I am not too sure they will accept payment details of a Mauritian card. They probably do but I cannot confirm. Maybe someone else on the blog might confirm that.
I've used both my 3G and 4G while on holiday at home. Feel free to ask any more questions.
Have a fabulous time in Mauritius.

Regards,
Sachin

Banking payments are based on whether the card is a Visa or a maestro card or if you link it to your PayPal ( standard procedure worldwide). [your bank pays visa, visa pays vendors such as apple] Hence I dont think using a Mauritian card will be a problem

My fiancee was told by Emtel last week that she could not get an unlimited internet plan for her iphone.  According to the sales rep in the emtel office, unlimited internet with Emtel is only available for Blackberry users.

Regarding her iphone though, it was purchased in the UK and unlocked there by O2.  No trouble using it in Mauritius on emtel, but can only buy prepackaged data plans...i.e. 500mb, 1gb, 2gb, etc.

There are slightly different rates depending on whether you sign as a pay as you go or a monthly plan.

Jailbroken iphones work fine in Mauritius as well as one of my colleagues has a jailbroken one and he's had no issues using his iphone.

Yes the 3GS will work on Emtel and Orange. I brought my Iphone 3gs from the USA and it works great. No unlimited internet plans are available. Orange gives me 20mg per month for free and it works great.

sachin_seesurrun wrote:

If you have the 4G, it will be a bit tricky since to my knowledge Orange (the sole provider for Iphone in Mauritius) do not sell the micro-sim seperately. However, you can get a normal one and cut it to the size of the micro-sim. I've done that and it works.

Emtel sells micro-SIM with contracts and I believe iShop in Phoenix has a SIM cutter tool (for a fee). However, considering the cost of a new SIM card with Emtel, I decided to cut mine as well and it worked great (even if the cut was not very accurate).

Guys, you can get micro sim for iPhone 4 or for iPad separately. They do not always have them but you can order and wait if you need a separate number or they can keep you current number but your previous sim will be deactivated as soon as new micro sim will be activated  Just walk in to Orange and ask for it. The only condition is that your iPhone 4 should be unlocked.

My unlocked iPhone 4 is not showing the Personal Hotspot option after inserting an EMTEL prepaid sim. Would anyone have an idea why and can I get to see and use the Personal Hotspot option with EMTEL prepaid sim. Have got a 1 GB data plan & would like to share the connection with laptop!

Thanks
Nishant

Make sure you entered the correct APN in the Internet Tethering setting (I use the same details as in Cellular Data).

Both orange and Emtel will be able to provide you with what you are looking for. even the 4S is available here.

Hi All! 

Can someone please explain to me how to "unlock" my iPhone?  We move to Mauritius in August and I want to make sure my phone is ready to go before then.  I hear a lot of chatting about "jailbreaking" it, etc.  But, I am so out of the loop with this kind of stuff!  Please fill me in...

Thanks for your help!

Courtney 

You should contact the original carrier and ask them to unlock it officially.

If your phone is unlocked, then you will be able to get an appropriate sim card at any local carrier.
you can get unlimited surf (it comes with a fee )
Itunes is available everywhere in the world. you just have to download it off the internet.
Yes you have access to App Store and any other website you want.
Rgds
Denis

Thanks iJulien! 

Hi
I am travelling to Mauritius for three weeks and would like to use my ipad via my iphone 3g version which is unlocked.Is this possible ?

Where can I obtain a sim for my phone and any ideas of costs involved?

Regards
Michael