I have a close friend that is currently on the South African research base on Marion Island for a year long mission. With Marion Island being so far off the coast of South Africa, there is obviously no cellphone reception available. There is, however, satellite Internet with WiFi access in and around the research base.
He took his WiFi enabled mobile phone with him. Using the chat service called WhatsApp his phone became his main communication channel to all his friends and family in South Africa. WhatsApp is convenient because he can send images and videos and text to anyone and everyone interested in his adventures on the island. It worked really well for slightly less than a year.
Vodacom, in their infinite wisdom, decided that because there was no network activity on his number anymore, that they are going to RECYCLE his number, and give it to some new, random subscriber! His mobile number might have been inactive, but there was daily communication on WhatsApp.
WhatsApp uses the mobile number to give access to the account. Now that he lost his number, he lost his WhatsApp account and the ability to communicate with anyone off the island! Thanks Vodacom.
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