Africa's a Mobile Phone Oasis, But You Can't Live on Water Alone
NYTimes.com has a cover story today about the rapid deployment of mobile phones in Africa. Africa's a Mobile Phone Oasis, But You Can't Live on Water Alone ...The Africa-as-mobile-phone-oasis story is hardly new, but it's important nonetheless. African countries generally have some of the lowest Internet penetration rates in the world, so mobile phone growth raises the likelihood that more and more mobile providers will begin providing data access. It's the classic leapfrog story: why try to dig up the entire continent to deploy Internet cables when you can get access through the airwaves? However, it's also worth noting that we shouldn't see mobile phones as a silver bullet for wiping out Africa's digital divide. Internet access via mobile phones is wonderful - I go crazy when my phone gets out of data service range - but it's not a replacement for affordable computers with cheap Internet access, as was argued by The Economist and the World Bank earlier this year. It would be very tempting for us to say, "No need to worry about Africa's digital divide - they've got cell phones, don't they?" but the fact of the matter is that none of us who take Internet access for granted would want to be relegated to using mobile phones as our sole source of access. Try going about your day-to-day business for a week with your computer shut off, using only your phone, and you'll quickly see what I mean.... ...Different development challenges require different tools. No doubt, mobile phones will be near the top of the list -- but that list also includes $100 laptops, wind-up electricity generators, low-cost community radio transmitters, and the timeless ham radio.... http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/25/international/africa/25africa.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1125036063-JsTQJrfjCv/R17+KfHtR7w
Innovative Lawyer, Your wananchi mailbox is full. Could you kindly get in touch. We could collaborate. Alex Gakuru 2732311-2, 0722 739100 ----- Original Message ----- From: <innovativelawyer@wananchi.com> To: "kenya ICT Policy - kictanet" <kictanet@kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 9:03 AM Subject: [Kictanet] Africa's a Mobile Phone Oasis,But You Can't Live on Water Alone
NYTimes.com has a cover story today about the rapid deployment of mobile phones in Africa.
Africa's a Mobile Phone Oasis, But You Can't Live on Water Alone
...The Africa-as-mobile-phone-oasis story is hardly new, but it's important nonetheless. African countries generally have some of the lowest Internet penetration rates in the world, so mobile phone growth raises the likelihood that more and more mobile providers will begin providing data access. It's the classic leapfrog story: why try to dig up the entire continent to deploy Internet cables when you can get access through the airwaves?
However, it's also worth noting that we shouldn't see mobile phones as a silver bullet for wiping out Africa's digital divide. Internet access via mobile phones is wonderful - I go crazy when my phone gets out of data service range - but it's not a replacement for affordable computers with cheap Internet access, as was argued by The Economist and the World Bank earlier this year. It would be very tempting for us to say, "No need to worry about Africa's digital divide - they've got cell phones, don't they?" but the fact of the matter is that none of us who take Internet access for granted would want to be relegated to using mobile phones as our sole source of access. Try going about your day-to-day business for a week with your computer shut off, using only your phone, and you'll quickly see what I mean....
...Different development challenges require different tools. No doubt, mobile phones will be near the top of the list -- but that list also includes $100 laptops, wind-up electricity generators, low-cost community radio transmitters, and the timeless ham radio....
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/25/international/africa/25africa.html?adxnnl= 1&adxnnlx=1125036063-JsTQJrfjCv/R17+KfHtR7w
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How come Senegal's mobile networks DO NOT charge for ALL sms and they remain profitable? Anybody has the answer? ----- Original Message ----- From: <innovativelawyer@wananchi.com> To: "kenya ICT Policy - kictanet" <kictanet@kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 9:03 AM Subject: [Kictanet] Africa's a Mobile Phone Oasis,But You Can't Live on Water Alone
NYTimes.com has a cover story today about the rapid deployment of mobile phones in Africa.
Africa's a Mobile Phone Oasis, But You Can't Live on Water Alone
...The Africa-as-mobile-phone-oasis story is hardly new, but it's important nonetheless. African countries generally have some of the lowest Internet penetration rates in the world, so mobile phone growth raises the likelihood that more and more mobile providers will begin providing data access. It's the classic leapfrog story: why try to dig up the entire continent to deploy Internet cables when you can get access through the airwaves?
However, it's also worth noting that we shouldn't see mobile phones as a silver bullet for wiping out Africa's digital divide. Internet access via mobile phones is wonderful - I go crazy when my phone gets out of data service range - but it's not a replacement for affordable computers with cheap Internet access, as was argued by The Economist and the World Bank earlier this year. It would be very tempting for us to say, "No need to worry about Africa's digital divide - they've got cell phones, don't they?" but the fact of the matter is that none of us who take Internet access for granted would want to be relegated to using mobile phones as our sole source of access. Try going about your day-to-day business for a week with your computer shut off, using only your phone, and you'll quickly see what I mean....
...Different development challenges require different tools. No doubt, mobile phones will be near the top of the list -- but that list also includes $100 laptops, wind-up electricity generators, low-cost community radio transmitters, and the timeless ham radio....
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/25/international/africa/25africa.html?adxnnl= 1&adxnnlx=1125036063-JsTQJrfjCv/R17+KfHtR7w
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
For those interested. sorry if i have cross posted ========================================================== The following announcement was posted by GKP. It might be of interest to anyone you know in the telecentre movement. Please pass it on...the deadline is Sept 9, 2005. Telecentre Leaders' Forum at WSIS - Apply for Scholarships Now! The Forum aims to provide a unique opportunity for telecentre practitioners, policy makers and researchers to learn, share and collaborate in advancing effectiveness and social impact of telecentres around the world. Organised by IDRC's telecentre.org program, the forum will be held from 15-18 November, at the WSIS in Tunis. Telecentre.org, through GKP, is sponsoring the full participation of 16 telecentre and community technology practitioners from Africa, Asia and Latin America with unique or inspiring stories and experiences in telecentres and community use of ICT. To find out more and to apply, go to: http://www.globalknowledge.org/gkps_portal/index.cfm?menuid=579&parentid=522 submitted by Janet Feldman, kaippg@earthlink.net Benjamin Makai Tel: 254-722-540641 P.O. Box 8608, 00300, Nairobi, Kenya --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Find what you need with new enhanced search. Learn more.
participants (3)
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Alex Gakuru -
Benjamin Makai -
innovativelawyer＠wananchi.com