Mobile phones

1

yeah - everywhere in Africa uses GSM900 (same as UK) so bring out an unlocked phone and buy a sim card in each country - the mCell won't work in Malawi, but you can get a CelTel starter pack in Malawi for under £3 (actaully, don't go for Celtel, use Telkom, Celtel are a victim of their own success and the network is stretched beyond capacity).

this is a useful site

http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/index.shtml

also - you can receive international calls on these simcards - and they can be very cheap to call from the UK (under 5p/min!)

http://niftylist.co.uk/calls/to/malawi/mobile/

http://niftylist.co.uk/calls/to/mozambique/mobile/

2

if your phone is tri-band or open network, it would be cheaper for you to just put in a local simcard, work out cheaper for you than roaming abroad with a european simcard in your phone, it works for me when i visit Zambia from London.

3

Had no problems with CelTel pay-as-you-go card in Malawi; found it easy to buy, cheap and efficient - and excellent coverage (even in unexpected places all over the country). No experience of Telcom in Malawi.
Didn't feel it worth buying a card in Mozambique, but probably will when next there.
Ndlovu