Developing countries lead the way in deploying mobile technology

Despite the implications for easing poverty, the motivation for purchasing a mobile device is not necessarily linked to improved social services. Many people buy mobile phones to stay connected to friends and family, or for entertainment purposes, Nelson says. But connectivity has become such a priority that in Asia, South America, and Africa some people spend between 5 and 15 percent of their disposable income on telecommunications services, according to a 2010 study by Ericsson. Other experts estimate investment in cellular technology can reach up to 30 percent of income.

According to the World Bank, as phones become cheaper and more robust and networks double their bandwidth almost every year and a half, more people have access to mobile devices than they do clean drinking water or electricity in some countries.

However, “technology won’t create development instruments by itself,” says Nelson. And both multinational institutions and international development agencies are acknowledging this: As of 2011, nearly 75 percent of all World Bank investment lending projects had an Information and Communication Technology component, and more than $4 billion was invested in the ICT sector between 2003 and 2010.

International organizations are increasingly partnering with the private sector to improve new technology, create sustainable ICT-based programming, and design relevant mobile applications. As with all development work, acknowledging unique factors across different cultures – such as gender breakdown of mobile-phone ownership – is paramount in creating successful initiatives. A mobile application designed to ease reporting on violence against women will likely fall short if men are the primary users of mobile devices in the target community.

The “mobile revolution” is still in its beginning stages.

“The challenge now is to enable people, businesses, and governments in developing countries to develop their own locally relevant mobile applications so they can take full advantage of these opportunities,” said Rachel Kyte, vice president for sustainable development at the World Bank.

Already many mobile innovations, including low-cost recharges and mobile payments, originate in poorer countries and spread from there. As developing countries continue to play a leading role in mobile-device subscription and innovation, the development of mobile applications targeted at rural communities with limited access to health services or banking could gain a broader international reach. And as some applications gain success and are tweaked and replicated, their presence in developed countries could multiply as well.

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