A lot of people complain about iPads and tablets without Sim card slots. Some are even of the opinion that such devices are not meant for Nigerians. I share some of these fears and complaints but they are not entirely true. I remember when I bought my HP Slate 7 Extreme on Amazon in April 2014, some of my colleagues at work were interested in buying the tablet, but when they got to know it has no sim card slot, they got turned off. Now, I will be sharing with you some tips on how to use a WiFi-only tablet stress-free in Nigeria.
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Buy A Mobile Hotspot
Access to the internet is getting easier day by day in Nigeria, but cost is still an issue. Nigerian mobile service providers offer devices that put internet connection in your pocket everywhere you go. From 4G providers such as Smile, Swift and Spectranet to the regulars; MTN, Etisalat, Glo, Airtel and Visafone. There a lot of options to choose from. These devices – commonly called MiFi – allow you to connect up to eight devices which means you can share your internet connection with your friends and family.
Use WiFi
One of the reasons people don’t want to buy WiFi-only tablets is that there are limited number of wireless connections available in Nigeria. Some cybercafes now share their internet connection for residents of the area to connect for a fee. Some Universities in Nigeria, offices, schools and public places now have Wireless internet connection you can connect to for free or on request. It is proven that your device battery lasts longer when connected over WiFi than on mobile data connection.
Use Your Smartphone’s Hotspot
Nearly everyone have a smartphone nowadays, these devices are so powerful you can even use them to share your mobile data subscription with people you love. All you need do is to configure the hotspot with your preferred credentials and start sharing your internet connection.
Get a feature phone and share internet connection over Bluetooth
This is one of the options I use frequently with my HP Slate 7 Extreme. I have a Nokia Asha 311 feature phone which serves as a hotspot for the tablet. If you still have a feature phone lying around, you will like this option.
NOTE: Make sure you do the pairing from the tablet. Follow the steps as depicted in the images below:
This is how to share your internet connection on Android devices.
- Switch on your Bluetooth.
- Search for the device you want to use for internet connection from the list.
- Tap on the Option icon as shown in the picture below:
- Check the “Internet Access” option and Viola! You are connected to the web.
NOTE: You can also share the internet connection over Bluetooth from your Lumia smartphones and you can as well connect to other devices in your Bluetooth list only if the device allows it.
In conclusion, one of the advantages of buying WIFi only tablets is that they are cheaper than their 3G enabled counterparts. And as stated above, your battery lasts longer compared to a 3G tablet.
Do you have a WiFi-only tablet? Please share tips on how you use them in the comment box.
With the ridiculous data prices in Nigeria, I think Wifi only Tabs are useless to an average Nigerian ( which sadly makes up more than half of the nation’s population) .
For a person that can afford the luxury of a tablet even though they are becoming more affordable now. The article highlights ways of effectively sharing your data connection with a WiFi-only Tab. I do agree with you on the data prices though