Description: 2012 Information and Communications for Development : Maximizing Mobile

Cover Image

QR Code

2012 Information and Communications for Development : Maximizing Mobile

With some 6 billion mobile subscriptions in use worldwide, around three-quarters of the world's inhabitants now have access to a mobile phone. Mobiles are arguably the most ubiquitous modern technology: in some developing countries, more peopl...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author:	World Bank
Language:	English en_US
Published:	Washington, DC: World Bank 2012
Subjects:	ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACCESS TO KNOWLEDGE ALTERNATIVE POLICIES BROADCASTING COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK DECISION-MAKING DIGITAL DIVIDE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC GROWTH ECONOMIC IMPACT EMPLOYMENT HEALTH CARE HEALTH CARE FINANCING HUMAN DEVELOPMENT ICT INCOME INCOME DISTRIBUTION INCOME LEVELS INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE INFORMATION SERVICES INFORMATION STORAGE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS INTERNET ACCESS INTERNET HOSTS KNOWLEDGE FOR DEVELOPMENT LIVING CONDITIONS LOW INCOME LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES MARKET LIBERALIZATION MARKET PRICES MCT MEDIA MULTIPURPOSE COMMUNITY TELECENTER NATIONAL INCOME OIL POLICY INSTRUMENTS POSTAL SECTOR PRIVATE SECTOR PRODUCTIVITY RADIO RURAL COMMUNITIES RURAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS RURAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT SAFETY NETS SOCIAL SERVICES SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS TELECOM SECTOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE TELECOMMUNICATIONS OPERATORS TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICIES TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECTOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES TELEDENSITY TELEPHONE DENSITY TELEPHONE LINES TELEPHONE PENETRATION TELEPHONE SERVICE TELEPHONES TELEPHONY UNIVERSAL ACCESS UNIVERSAL ACCESS COSTS UNIVERSAL SERVICE URBAN AREAS IC4D
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2012/08/16653599/2012-information-communications-development-maximizing-mobile http://hdl.handle.net/10986/11958

Description
Summary:	With some 6 billion mobile subscriptions in use worldwide, around three-quarters of the world's inhabitants now have access to a mobile phone. Mobiles are arguably the most ubiquitous modern technology: in some developing countries, more people have access to a mobile phone than to a bank account, electricity, or even clean water. Mobile communications now offer major opportunities to advance human development from providing basic access to education or health information to making cash payments to stimulating citizen involvement in democratic processes. The developing world is 'more mobile' than the developed world. In the developed world, mobile communications have added value to legacy communication systems and have supplemented and expanded existing information flows. However, the developing world is following a different, 'mobile first' development trajectory. Many mobile innovations such as multi-SIM card phones, low-value recharges, and mobile payments have originated in poorer countries and are spreading from there. New mobile applications that are designed locally and rooted in the realities of the developing world will be much better suited to addressing development challenges than applications transplanted from elsewhere. In particular, locally developed applications can address developing-country concerns such as digital literacy and affordability. This 2012 edition of the World Bank's information and communications for development report analyzes the growth and evolution of mobile telephony, and the rise of data-based services delivered to handheld devices, including apps. The report explores the consequences for development of the emerging 'app economy.' It summarizes current thinking and seeks to inform the debate on the use of mobile phones for development. This report looks at key ecosystem-based applications in agriculture, health, financial services, employment, and government, with chapters devoted to each.