Series 9 Episode 7 discussion

[George]

(04-11-2010 03:55 PM)conniesachs Wrote:  Missed it on Monday and wanted to watch it twice before asking a few questions;

* Think some people have queried what mobile model was used to detonate bomb but no one seems to have questioned whether Senegal had a mobile network in 95. I was living in Botswana at the time and there definitely wasn't one there, and I think South Africa was only just getting their infrastructure in place - could do with some imput from Silktie on this - as I knew a guy who got a job in SA locating and acquiring sites for mobile phone masts, and I'm sure that was in 96. Can't believe SA would be behind Senegal in this sort of technology.
If Senegal didn't have a mobile network in 95 would that prove that Vaughn's version of the bombing was a fake - clutching at straws - or just that the script writers didn't do their research, again?

According to info on the net, the first GSM network in Senegal became live on the 1st of July 1996. This does not exclude a prior existence (before launch, using test users) of a GSM network in 95, with John/Lucas being able to access it with a european GSM phone. Also does not exclude the presence of an analog mobile phone service (being a tourist area, feasible: a report says there were 10000 users in Senegal in 1995).

The point remains that the only flip phones at that time were the Motorola Tacs or the Ericsson and the flip was only the microphone/key cover, not the type seen in the episode. That model is most probably a more recent (2003?) Samsung or LG...

In case you are wondering: I was working in mobile networks at the time....