As mobile uptake rockets across Africa, fuelling connectivity across the continent and boosting the popularity of mobile-based economic activities, HumanIPO speaks to Peter Lyons, director of public policy for the Africa and Middle East region at the GSM Association (GSMA), about how to leverage mobile to spur further growth, and what issues policy makers should be focusing on to facilitate connectivity in Africa.
HumanIPO: What are the drivers of the significant growth in mobile uptake across Africa?
Lyons: Prices for mobile services have fallen substantially over recent years, driven by a range of factors including increasing competition in a number of markets, decreased equipment prices (both in terms of handsets and infrastructure for mobile networks), as well as growing scale for the operators.
The mobile operators themselves have played an important role with ongoing investments to improve network coverage as well as to introduce new service offerings that can attract lower income subscribers. For example, prices have fallen in Kenya by 20 per cent per year over the last four years and by 15 per cent per year over the same period in Senegal.
source: www.humanipo.com
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