A very interesting read, thanks for preparing. Is there any research into whether those who do not have access to telecommunications technology in these LMICs actually demand or desire access to this technology?
There is a risk here that we may be imposing our biases on potential beneficiaries that I believe would be helpful to investigate further. I could plausibly see a world where there is a significant demand for the secondary benefits that arise from telecommunication technology access.
However, similarly, I could imagine plausible situations where the 3-9% of individuals that you referenced may have strong preferences for their status quo existing lifestyle and technology situation.
When we spoke to experts in the field, this was not a major concern for them. Indeed, a couple mentioned that often convincing people to use a development intervention is an uphill battle—but people needed no convincing to use cell phones.
This seems to be borne out by usage statistics; even though devices are expensive (44% of monthly income is a lot), usage is growing a lot. GSMA has smartphone usage doubling in sub-Saharan Africa doubling from 2014-2019 (pg. 17). World Bank research suggests the major barrier entry to using a mobile device is not lack of interest, but affordability.
A very interesting read, thanks for preparing. Is there any research into whether those who do not have access to telecommunications technology in these LMICs actually demand or desire access to this technology?
There is a risk here that we may be imposing our biases on potential beneficiaries that I believe would be helpful to investigate further. I could plausibly see a world where there is a significant demand for the secondary benefits that arise from telecommunication technology access.
However, similarly, I could imagine plausible situations where the 3-9% of individuals that you referenced may have strong preferences for their status quo existing lifestyle and technology situation.
When we spoke to experts in the field, this was not a major concern for them. Indeed, a couple mentioned that often convincing people to use a development intervention is an uphill battle—but people needed no convincing to use cell phones.
This seems to be borne out by usage statistics; even though devices are expensive (44% of monthly income is a lot), usage is growing a lot. GSMA has smartphone usage doubling in sub-Saharan Africa doubling from 2014-2019 (pg. 17). World Bank research suggests the major barrier entry to using a mobile device is not lack of interest, but affordability.