Much has been said about women’s access to and use of the telephone. Many studies conclude that a significant gender divide in access exists particularly in developing countries. Women are also said to use telephones in a different manner from men –making and receiving more calls, spending...

In emerging economies, access to accurate market information can be limited by poor, underdeveloped or even absent infrastructure. Countries are poor, partly because markets do not work well and partly because of information problems. Isolated and poorly-informed farmers, traders and businesses...

This paper looks at telecom use at the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) in emerging Asia, where many of the ‘next billions’ of subscribers will come from. It explores the potential for new customers, and issues of affordability at the BOP. The findings reveal potential for as many as 140 new...

Much has been said of the benefits of access to telecommunication especially at the ‘Bottom of the Pyramid’. The economic as well as social benefits from such access can, in theory allow people to improve their life conditions, and also contribute more widely to development. Many in the...

Much has been said of the benefits of access to telecommunication especially at the ‘Bottom of the Pyramid’.2 The economic as well as social benefits from such access can, in theory enable people to graduate from poverty and also contribute more widely to development. Thus it can be argued...

This paper considers the specific role of information and communication technologies [ICT] in reducing transaction costs in agriculture by enabling timely and affordable communication. Segmenting transaction costs in to several components, the paper isolates the costs associated with information...

With the increasing concern with regards to reducing poverty in the world, lowering transaction costs within the value chain is one of the key elements to ensuring growth in agriculture which will in turn have a significant impact in reducing poverty. This paper presents the results of a study...

Mobile phones are being used to improve one’s economic situation by increasing the efficiency of day-to-day decision making by reducing transaction costs. At the same time, entertainment services on mobile phones, while not bringing any productive value to the user, are quite popular. However...

Mobile phone access is widespread in Asia; voice connectivity has been achieved for the most part through intense competition, with prices being driven down to unsustainable levels. Against the backdrop of intense competition, new services and applications such as price information services, news...

Mobile Number portability (MNP), a feature present in most developed telecom markets around the world, is now making its way into the developing telecom markets of South Asia. Unlike the conditions that exist in the mature environments of the western world, however, market structures, pricing...