Mobility

The mobile phone as a change agent

With close to 6 billion mobile subscriptions worldwide, two-thirds of the world’s population now have access to a mobile phone. It is also estimated that half the world’s population are able to access the internet through a mobile phone. Penetration rates in the developing world have been described as happening at a ‘blistering pace’. In 2007 mobile penetration in Africa was about 30% – it is now well over 50%.

In developing countries the primary access point for the internet will be the mobile phone rather than a PC, and it is already a key weapon for improving access to health and education services. For example, Vodafone, Tanzania’s biggest mobile provider, helped solve a problem that prevented thousands of women from accessing a gynaecological service. There was a nice big hospital, full of good doctors – but no patients. Women either did not know about the service or could not afford the bus fare to get to the hospital. Vodafone linked with a local community organisation and used its mobile phone-based money transfer service to text message the bus fare to affected women. One international agency specialising in microfinance estimates that 1.7 billion people in the developing world now have a mobile phone – but no bank account.

Mobility

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Mobility

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