Nokia Siemens Networks

Bringing mobile communications to the next billion

1.8 million new subscribers join the mobile community every day. What drives this growth in mobile subscriptions across the globe? And what are the real-world implications?

Affordable mobile communications brings forth a new era

Mobile growth in itself is staggeringly rapid. In India, a stunning 15.41 million new mobile subscribers signed up in January 2009 alone. In China, 94 million during 2008. Besides Asia, Africa is also proving to be a real hot-bed for mobile growth.

The trend is gaining pace, as Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)  for mobile phones has dropped significantly in just two years. The average TCO — the cost to own and use a mobile phone — for an emerging market is now just 11 US dollars per month A further drop to 5 USD would bring about the removal of the affordability barrier, which would enable the majority of the world’s lower-income consumers to join the mobile community. For in-depth coverage turn to the latest issue of Expanding Horizons from Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks.

A story behing each number

Behind each of the 1.8 million is a story. A tale of how mobile communications changes individual lives and conditions. Becoming a mobile user through e.g. microfinancing and being able to communicate with friends and relatives is just one example. Mobile devices offer chances to improve personal and family income. In emerging markets the mobile phone is often the crucial step from street corner to formal economy.  For example, in Africa microenterprises make up a whopping 90 percent of new jobs created. And most of the microenterprises connect, handle their business and work through mobile means. That, better than anything serves to show how the majority of the global population is entering the mobile information age.

Connectivity Scorecard — the real productivity and connectivity details

Benefits of mobile communications extend beyond individuals to deliver improved national economic growth and development for entire economies. As studies confirm an increase of 10 mobile phones per 100 people boosts GDP growth from 0.6 to 1.2 percentage points.

To achieve such growth, more than the installed infrastructure is needed. The Connectivity Scorecard 2009 shows how a population’s skills such as literacy, the use of enterprise software and women’s access to ICT play an important role. For implications and further results read the latest Expanding Horizons from Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks.

Expanding Horizons

Expanding Horizons is a quarterly publication aimed at ICT decision-makers in the private and public sectors. In publication since 2004, Expanding Horizons is known for highlighting the latest thinking in the industry.

In each issue, Expanding Horizons explores the socio-economic benefits that mobile communications offer. It showcases new thinking, best practices, true-life examples and the human perspective from around the world in order to encourage affordable mobile communications and bring the internet to the next billion consumers. It also shows how to create a favorable environment for market growth.

These and other inspirational articles can be found in the latest issue of Expanding Horizons, the leading magazine for ICT decision-makers.