Mobile network society? Affordability and mobile phone usage in Grahamstown East

Duncan, Jane

doi:10.1080/02500167.2013.766224

Cited by 23 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Further costs such as taxes on mobiles which increase mobile service expenditures may truly burden the most poor (Agüero et al 2011). Even the most basic or everyday needs like food are in some cases being held back in order to afford the costs of mobile phone expenses (Diga 2007;Duncan 2013;infodev 2012a). In an economically depressed community in South Africa, the household respondents who earned a monthly income of between R300 to R5,000 (USD 37-USD 625) state that they on average use 26 % of their income on cell phones (handsets and airtime) (Duncan 2013).…”

Section: Factors Affecting Icts and Poverty: Affordabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Even the most basic or everyday needs like food are in some cases being held back in order to afford the costs of mobile phone expenses (Diga 2007;Duncan 2013;infodev 2012a). In an economically depressed community in South Africa, the household respondents who earned a monthly income of between R300 to R5,000 (USD 37-USD 625) state that they on average use 26 % of their income on cell phones (handsets and airtime) (Duncan 2013). Majority of the study's respondents from this same township perceived both the mobile and the airtime to be expensive (Duncan 2013).…”

Section: Factors Affecting Icts and Poverty: Affordabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In an economically depressed community in South Africa, the household respondents who earned a monthly income of between R300 to R5,000 (USD 37-USD 625) state that they on average use 26 % of their income on cell phones (handsets and airtime) (Duncan 2013). Majority of the study's respondents from this same township perceived both the mobile and the airtime to be expensive (Duncan 2013). One unanswered question is whether the high costs of ICTs are trapping people in poverty as suggested by Duncan (2013).…”

Section: Factors Affecting Icts and Poverty: Affordabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Progress Towards Resolving the Measurement Link Between ICT and Poverty Reduction

May

Diga

2015

Impact of Information Society Research in the Global South

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This chapter provides a review on the debate and latest literature around Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and its connection to poverty. The review first acknowledges the trend of global poverty, which today can be measured in a multitude of dimensions. This multidimensional poverty measurement approach has emerged within ICTs and Development (ICTD) research alongside a new contribution called "digital poverty". When looking at the empirical linkages between the concepts of poverty and ICTs, the literature reveals heterogeneity in the measurement choices as to who are the poor and whether the poor have ICTs across developing countries. Yet in various cases where the poor have ICTs, some are found to be sensitive to changes of price and see variability within equity of affordability. Furthermore, only few studies have been able to show causal inference to make the micro-level impact linkage between ICTs and poverty. In reviewing this literature, we provide some of the major themes, gaps, and recommendations towards improving the understanding of ICTD and poverty.

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Section: Factors Affecting Icts and Poverty: Affordabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Factors Affecting Icts and Poverty: Affordabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Factors Affecting Icts and Poverty: Affordabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Progress Towards Resolving the Measurement Link Between ICT and Poverty Reduction

May

Diga

2015

Impact of Information Society Research in the Global South

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“…Other empirical studies also report high mobile telephony penetration rates in sub-Saharan Africa (Chabossou et al, 2009;Donner, 2008;Duncan, 2013;Duncombe and Boateng, 2009;Hahn and Kibora, 2008;Sife et al, 2010), in Jamaica, Colombia and El Salvador (James, 2012), and in Taiwan (Chu et al, 2009;Tsai, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influencing factors to mobile phone adoption among urban youth in Botswana

Lesitaokana¹

2016

J. Media Commun. Stud.

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Drawing from the focus groups and semi-structured interviews conducted on urban youth in Botswana, this study adds to the literature of mobile phone adoption among youth in the global South. The study indicates that mobile phone adoption among youth in Botswana is predominantly influenced by factors such as the need for connectedness, cost and perceived usefulness of mobile phone handsets. Moreover,this study demonstrates that acquisition of mobile phones among youth is an ongoing process, as it involves a young person starting to acquire and use a mobile phone (initial adoption), and then developing a strong link with the device through continuous consumption. This paper goes on to argue that although mobile phones are global technology, in each region young people's adoption of the devices is shaped by their traditional lifestyles, as well as the socio-economic challenges that they face.

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“…Figure 5 shows the range of prices, far greater than any underlying cost differences, with many countries lacking sufficient competition to drive prices down or regulations that might substitute for or complement that competition. Consequently, for many people mobile services remain unaffordable, while for others they are only intermittently within reach (Duncan, 2013;Powell, 2014). Unfortunately, regulatory authorities do not measure affordability, leaving that to researchers.…”

Section: Telecommunications In Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

China and Africa: Alternative Telecommunication Policies and Practices

Sutherland¹

2016

Afr. j. inf. commun. (Online)

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The Beijing Consensus is said to be a win-win for China and Africa. China has become a major force in global telecommunications markets, as a manufacturer, a content provider and in delivering services to its citizens. While the relationship between China and Africa has been explored in many areas, telecommunications has been ignored, despite its strong domestic performance, as well as the presence of Chinese equipment in African networks and in the hands of consumers. China has not exported its domestic model of competing state-owned operators, nor have those operators followed the "going out" strategy. However, manufacturers have benefitted from the Washington Consensus model of oligopolistic markets. In countries with higher risks, they have been aided by Chinese development banks and intergovernmental agreements. In a new policy model, for the Comoros and Ethiopia, Chinese firms have taken on outsourcing of network functions for the state-owned operators. Additionally, manufacturers have found several channels to supply feature-phones and smartphones at low prices, helping to widen access. Absent from African markets are the providers of Internet content and apps. There is very little evidence of spillover effects, with little knowledge being transferred. China has won from hardware sales in Africa, while Africans have won wider access to telecommunications, including states rejecting the Washington Consensus model.

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Mobile network society? Affordability and mobile phone usage in Grahamstown East

Cited by 23 publications

References 6 publications

Progress Towards Resolving the Measurement Link Between ICT and Poverty Reduction

Progress Towards Resolving the Measurement Link Between ICT and Poverty Reduction

Influencing factors to mobile phone adoption among urban youth in Botswana

China and Africa: Alternative Telecommunication Policies and Practices

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