Mobile Phone Chargers
1.6 billion ~ a quarter of world’s population live in off-grid situations(according to Siemens)
- 4.6 billion people, 67% of the world’s population, or two-thirds total are mobile subscribers (UN stats)
- Figures from the International Telecommunications Union show that by the end of 2006, 68 percent of the world’s mobile subscriptions were in developing countries.
- A recent World Bank study of 120 countries shows that for every 10 percentage point increase in the penetration of mobile phones, there is an increase in economic growth of 0.8 percentage points in developing countries.
- A developing country which has an average of 10 more mobile phones per 100 population between 1996 and 2003 would have enjoyed per capita GDP growth that was 0.59 percent higher than an otherwise identical country (study by the Centre for Economic Policy Research).
- Over 85 percent of small businesses run by black individuals in South Africa rely solely on a mobile phone for telecommunications. The results of this study suggest that growth in the African telecom market will continue to pay off for African economies.
- Since mobile phones reduced traders’ search costs by 50%, they were able to obtain more information. Grain traders operating in mobile phone markets searched in 26% more markets as compared to their non-mobile phone counterparts, and increased the number of market contacts by 33%.
- Traders in cell phone markets sold in 22% more markets compared to their non-mobile phone counterparts.
- MOBILE PHONE CHARGERS THAT FULLY CHARGE CELL PHONES USING SOLAR ENERGY AVAILABLE IN OFF-GRID LOCATIONS BENEFIT VILLAGE LEVEL PEOPLE IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD
Conclusion: Traders and village people benefit from mobile phones. Developing countries show actual GDP growth with greater mobile phone penetration. While 2/3 of the world’s population have mobile phone access, ¼ of the world’s population lives in off-grid locations with no land line or public supply of energy