Today we attended a GTel event where the company was launching what will now becoming their flagship device, the A717 Explorer. The new phone is, according to the founder of the company, Chamunorwa Shumba, a phone in the class of Samsung Galaxy S3. We didn’t have the opportunity to feel the actual phone but we will sure review it in the coming days let you know what exactly is on offer for the $395 device.
Like other GTel phones this is dual SIM, which if you’re me, its a big plus over the other regular brands. Being a device in the class of the S3 however means it looks very much like the S3. You can read more about its specs here.
Speaking at the event Shumba said that they have come a long way as a company and working to improve the image of the brand with devices like this one. “We have been trying again to get it right and I think we are getting there. The dual sim phones had a bad tag but today we are launching a quality device” he said.
One interesting announcement made at the launch today is that GTel is working with SIRDC to see if some components of their phones can be manufactured locally. Batteries especially they said as these are a nightmare to import as accessories. We’re not sure just how much more efficient than China cost-wise they’ll be able to do but I guess we can wait and see.
Gtel is, according to an announcement, also made at the event working with PowerTel to have GTel supply devices for Powertel’s CDMA network. Perhaps bringing in a dual mode device that will make it easier for subscribers to have both a regular GSM and a PowerTel SIM in a phone.
Pleasing to note was that the phone has a theme song by local musician of the moment, Winky D. Winky D’s musical piece emphasises the fact that these phones are available to Zimbabweans on terms so friendly anyone should get one. They actually had Winky D performing the song live at the launch. The brand clearly manages to connect with its target market brilliantly in ways that other brands – those ‘genuine’ brands struggling for a foothold in the market – are just failing to.
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20 comments
I hope the screens are not like the previous generations they have shipped. They were VERY fragile.
PowerTel good, SIRDC bad…. guys had their buildings flooded and where looking for assistance when they had a “building institute/section/department”! Can’t trust them with high-tech…
Do you even know what SIRDC does or you assume because they have such a section they do building repairs.
Totally lost
I visit SIRDC at their premises when in Harare, visit their stand at ZITF, know more than three of their researchers and senior execs, read their brochures, and at some point worked on a GIS proposal with one of their researchers. Will answer again if you are still totaly lost.
I guess they have worked on improving the performance of their phones on this one, the one I got crushes like nobody’s business, it’s a quad core processor powered phone nice outward appearance and design, but sometimes the keyboard fails to work until you restart, the camera sometimes fails to capture photos until you restart , can’t play heavy games like Temple Run for more than 4-min. The phone is some kind of an endurance and patience test device
at $400 it faces stiff competition, maybe if it cost $250 i’d consider. The sony xperia v has much better specs and is retailing at that price.
The G-Tel smart phone screens are fragile and they are expensive to repair ,more expensive than handsets from competition that have $3per month airtime incentives. The G-Tel strategy seems to be ,buy cheap and we milk you on maintenance. That is not sustainable in this fast changing mobile industry. G-Tel ,I advise you to change or be changed.
guys gtel is duing good interms of its products ireallty enjoy my A705i ace for sho
I enjoy using my A705S model. Wish I could purchase the new brand. Gtel keep up the wonderful job. We are proud you are Zimbabwean.
can i have photos of the latest
Gtel everyone connected-zvazvinhu
i luv gtel its a nice fone kip on doin gud things gtel
Kindly guide me through of how I can get a Gtel phone. Thank you
Please help,how can i manually configure my gtel. i need the settings for Botswana networks. please help me with internet setting menu.
Forgetting my Gtel pattern what could i do please help me
Hi GTel , people say u are sophisticated, when they have problems(software) they have to approach you even if you do not have branches all over the country.
please we are having problems when we have problems with your phones, which needs it to be flashed, we have to approach your shops to flash the phones,
kindly assist us with your software so we can flash when we have such problems,im working out of the country(Zambia) where its not easy for me to come back home for only to flash the phone, just imagine.
this is very good gtel this smart phone is the best ever
this is the best smart phone
Be proud of home grown brands – GTeL has changed a lot of lives – in millions of ways and recognition sometimes is important . Great products keep going don’t stop