Here in Nigeria, quite a lot of people own and use more than one SIM, and from different networks. If you are one such person and would prefer to carry around only one phone, Samsung has got something right up your alley.

The highlight of the Samsung D780 is that it lets you use two (2) SIM cards from two different networks – and with both lines active at the same time.

The screenshot on the left shows the standby screen with network indicators and names for both Zain (Celtel) and Etisalat. Click on the thumbnail for a larger image. You can send and receive SMS on both lines, place and receive calls on both lines, and browse the internet – this time on whichever of the lines you select as your primary line. The secondary line cannot be used for internet access.

Samsung has implemented the dual-SIM functionality well. I tried it out with a line from Zain and another from Etisalat. Calls and SMS woked well for both, and yes, internet browsing worked well via Zain GPRS (Zain was set as primary line).

Other good points include the large and bright display, and comfortable keypad.

Low points of the phone include its mediocre music and video player interfaces, and the OpenWave browser. It has been a long time I ran into an OpenWave browser on a mobile device in years. It works well for mobile-friendly sites like MobiNaija.com, wap.Yahoo.co.uk, and Alireta.com. But if you throw anything beyond simple sites at it, you can expect a painful browsing experience.

Network connectivity is also limited to GPRS and EDGE. 3G would have been a lot nicer, but considering that modern EDGE networks can match 3G speeds, maybe there’s really little to miss.

Quick Specifications

Size and Weight: 115 x 49.6 x 15.7 mm. 108.5 gm
Display: TFT display. 256, 000 colors. 240 x 320 pixels
Data: GPRS, EDGE
Camera: 2 MP, no flash, 1600×1200 pixels. Video recording
Memory: 32 mb + microSD slot (none in retail box)
Connectivity: USB. Bluetooth
Messaging: SMS, MMS, EMail
Others: Dual SIM

MobiNaija Rating: 4/5

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6. Samsung Jet: Flashback Samsung i900 Omnia
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9. Samsung i780 Review
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About the Author
Yom is a member of the MobilityNigeria team and a technology enthusiast who delights in pushing the boundaries of connected mobile phones. Views expressed in his articles are his own and do not necesarilly reflect those of his employers.