Simon Petrus, a young man from northern Namibia, has designed a mobile phone that works without a SIM card or airtime. The device makes calls using radio frequencies, bypassing traditional cellular networks entirely.
He began building the phone while still a student, using recycled electronic parts. He connected components from an old landline handset, a television, and a two-way radio system to develop a working device that can communicate directly with other radios over shortwave frequencies. No SIM card is needed. No data plan is required. It’s effectively an independent communication system.
The phone also includes additional features: a small built-in TV, LED light, fan, and USB charging ports. All are powered by a home-assembled circuit and connected to a single power source — a simple radiator-based system.
The young innovator first gained public attention when he presented the invention at a national school science fair. Simon Petrus won first prize and caught the eye of local and international media. The story of a Namibian teenager building a SIM-free phone from scrap parts quickly spread online.
However, recognition didn’t translate into long-term support. Petrus struggled to gain entry to university after high school. It took years before he was able to complete a degree in electronics engineering, which he obtained in 2023. Despite this achievement, he remains unemployed. His invention, which could be a low-cost communication solution for remote or under-connected regions, has yet to be developed further or brought to market.
The core of his phone’s functionality, operating via radio frequencies, taps into technology that’s been used for decades in two-way radios and military communication. What’s different in Petrus’ case is the attempt to integrate this with mobile-style usability in a handheld device. This kind of innovation could be useful in areas with limited or no cellular infrastructure.
His device has not been mass-produced, and no major institution has taken on the project for funding or testing. For now, it remains a prototype, although Petrus has expressed interest in refining and improving the design if given the resources.
The story of Simon Petrus highlights a recurring issue in many parts of Africa – young inventors achieve significant breakthroughs but lack access to development pipelines, startup funding, or academic partnerships that could turn prototypes into products. Simon Petrus built a phone that sidesteps the business model of the modern telecom industry. Whether his invention becomes part of Namibia’s tech future depends on what happens next, not just in terms of investment, but also in terms of whether institutions are willing to back ideas that challenge the system.
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