Comments on: Mobiles preconference at 58th annual meeting of the International Communication Association

By: LIRNEasia To Facilitate Sharing Of Mobile Research Insights at LIRNEasia

LIRNEasia To Facilitate Sharing Of Mobile Research Insights at LIRNEasia — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 05:00:21 +0000

[…] Jonathon Donner mentions , there is a distinct value to discussing related papers among a group of like-minded researchers […]

By: jdonner

jdonner — Sun, 25 May 2008 14:43:57 +0000

For the Souter study, try this link as well: http://www.telafrica.org/

By: Srinivas

Srinivas — Sun, 25 May 2008 09:26:35 +0000

Someone referred to the replacement of shared access models of telecommunications like PCO booths with Telecenters (say eSeva in Andhra Pradesh) as a process of creative destruction. In Andhra Pradesh, there was a conscious move to convert the STD/PCO Booths into RSDPs (Rural Service Delivery Points) which are scaled down versions of eSeva models. I wanted to know your views on such description.

Thanks for directing me to the Souter Study. But, I am unable to download it the full report from the link.

By: Srinivas

Srinivas — Sun, 25 May 2008 08:21:24 +0000

I was referring to the validity, based on my experiences about 3 yrs back. The mobile pre paid number can no longer receive calls once the validity of that SIM card lapses. So the phone can’t be used to receive calls regularly. Unlike this, a land phone available at my home (by which the reference is to the BSNL phone connections in rural areas) can be used to receive calls, for say about Rs 125/- and gives up to 60 local calls free. It is mostly used for receiving calls, or as an address. These days however, the mobile call rates have come down, and land phone is no longer that attractive, so I guess the consumer behavior may differ.

Someone referred to the shared access models of telecommunications like PCO booths with Telecenters (say eSeva in Andhra Pradesh) as a process of creative destruction. In Andhra Pradesh, there was a conscious move to convert the STD/PCO Booths into RSDPs (Rural Service Delivery Points) which are scaled down versions of eSeva models. I wanted to know your views on such description. Thanks for directing me to the Souter Study.

By: jdonner

jdonner — Sun, 25 May 2008 06:11:54 +0000

Araba Sey’s paper “where have all the payphones gone?” at this preconference touched on some of these themes…as the costs of maintaining a personal handset continue to decline (cheaper hardware, plus airtime which can be shared phone-to-phone), she sees, at least in Ghana, that many former payphone users have shifted to mobile ownership.

But what do you mean by limited access? Just that the the number of minutes is limited by the value stored in the account, or something else?

A very good recent study of PCO use in rural areas is by Souter, et. al (2005).

By: Srinivas

Srinivas — Sun, 25 May 2008 04:23:02 +0000

Hi Jonathan,

How can the impact of mobile diffusion in the rural land scape on the STD-PCO Booths which democratized telecommunication access before the 90’s be understood? Today, a pre paid connection comes with limited access, unlike a PCO booth which imposes no such restrictions. Indeed, there were times when people used missed calls to get a mobile persons to speak to them from the nearest PCO Booth, where the call rates are cheaper.

-Srinivas