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Toll-free mobile service to rural Africa most welcome
2008-05-13 09:09:33
By Editor
The African continent is reeling from a serious digital disability invariably called `digital divide`.
Although Africa is not alone in this fix, globally the problem is most brazenly seen there.
Bad enough, the problem persists even when deployment of the information and communication technologies (ICTs) is becoming fashionable in other parts of the world.
The continent missed a step, just like in other previous tech revolutions, from early 1990s, in the wake of dot.com bubble and eventual burst in 2001.
Consequently, the gap between those people with effective access to digital and information technology and those without access has been getting wider by the day.
In Africa and Tanzania in particular, it is most commonly evident through imbalances in physical access to technology as well as in resources and skills needed to effectively participate as a digital citizen.
In other words, we are witnessing unequal access by some members of our society to ICTs, which span from computers and software, radio sets, mobile and fixed line phones, television services -- and the unequal acquisition of related skills.
In the context Tanzania, digital divide divulges itself most notably between the rich and poor, young and old but more so between urban and rural.
Most unfortunately, the gap is widening when ICTs have now inextricably proven beyond doubt that they are catalysts for development and poverty alleviation.
While aware about ongoing efforts at global and international levels in attempting to close the gap, recent private sector-led efforts to introduce toll-free mobile service in selected remote areas in Africa is most comforting.
Telecommunication equipment provider Ericsson and mobile phone service provider Celtel, a subsidiary of Zain have adopted the new approach in a bid to stimulate the demand of mobile solutions in areas they consider commercially challenging.
The two companies have entered into a partnership that will ensure they provide network access, mobile phone handsets, `sim` cards and toll-free emergency numbers in remote areas in order to stimulate demand for cellular phone solutions in those areas.
Obviously, the initiative, which was launched in Nairobi last week, promises to save lives by connecting people with emergency medical cases to health personnel.
Fortunately, Tanzania becomes one of the pilot countries and Molla Village, with a cluster of about 20 communities in Uyui District in Tabora Region joins the so called Millennium Villages Project.
Under the initiative, health workers will also be trained through mobile phone sessions on day to day skills like collecting and sharing basic household health information.
In the partnership, Ericsson will provide network connectivity in the identified areas, while the mobile service providers will provide the SIM cards and airtime, while the handset manufacturer Sony Ericsson will provide the handsets.
It looks like the initiative is based on the bottom up approach to lifting rural villages out of poverty that afflicts more than a billion worldwide, and so will likely become successful.
Project pioneers approach will also involve learning what the community needs are and depending on their findings to model their content around this.
It is hoped the pilot progamme will later lead to a viable commercial venture run by the community.
The services will be introduced to health workers, teachers, agriculture extension officers and other social workers.
The phones will use solar charges, which according to Ericsson, are capable of charging 30 mobile phones a day.
We encourage authorities to be cagey about these new developments and start thinking about public-private partnerships that would ensure that rollover gets done.
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