Comments on: Miskin calls and Beeping in Africa http://jonathandonner.com/archives/26 Most mobile telephones are in the developing world. Discussion & research by Jonathan Donner. Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:15:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: broopiedo http://jonathandonner.com/archives/26#comment-602 broopiedo Sun, 09 Dec 2007 07:56:59 +0000 http://jonathandonner.com/archives/26#comment-602 very interesting point of view, has never been conceived of this <a href="http://elmertnow34.blog.com/" rel="nofollow">helipterum</a> very interesting point of view, has never been conceived of this
helipterum

]]> By: jdonner http://jonathandonner.com/archives/26#comment-152 jdonner Sun, 07 Oct 2007 15:03:30 +0000 http://jonathandonner.com/archives/26#comment-152 Thanks Liron, You are quite correct...beeping/pranking is possible on landlines, and people have been doing it for a while. But, as you point out, without the caller ID, the practice is a little more limiting. It is only with the combination of calling-party-pays and the common functions on almost all handsets (call log+address book) that things have really picked up. Now, people can 'beep' (and be beeped) by multiple people during the course of the day, and will generally have no problem sorting out who-is-beeping-for-what. This has helped the practice evolve from an isolated/occasional thing to a widespread phenomenon. I'd argue that for some people, the beep has become as much a core part of the communications options on a mobile as is a voice call or a text message. Thanks Liron,
You are quite correct…beeping/pranking is possible on landlines, and people have been doing it for a while. But, as you point out, without the caller ID, the practice is a little more limiting. It is only with the combination of calling-party-pays and the common functions on almost all handsets (call log+address book) that things have really picked up.

Now, people can ‘beep’ (and be beeped) by multiple people during the course of the day, and will generally have no problem sorting out who-is-beeping-for-what. This has helped the practice evolve from an isolated/occasional thing to a widespread phenomenon. I’d argue that for some people, the beep has become as much a core part of the communications options on a mobile as is a voice call or a text message.

]]> By: Liron Lightwood http://jonathandonner.com/archives/26#comment-141 Liron Lightwood Fri, 05 Oct 2007 11:18:05 +0000 http://jonathandonner.com/archives/26#comment-141 I don't know if you're interested in this, but I've know about something like pranking or flashing for a long time. Back in the 1970's I remember a system like that where you could call someone from a payphone and hang up after the first ring in order to tell them that you're at a pre-arranged location and they should pick you up. There was no caller ID in those days, so this would have to be pre-arranged in advance. I don’t know if you’re interested in this, but I’ve know about something like pranking or flashing for a long time. Back in the 1970’s I remember a system like that where you could call someone from a payphone and hang up after the first ring in order to tell them that you’re at a pre-arranged location and they should pick you up. There was no caller ID in those days, so this would have to be pre-arranged in advance.

]]>