Quote:
Originally Posted by lygone
It is not what I'm saying... What I'm saying is that despite the poverty, or maybe a bit due to it too (since land phones never really found their way into homes...), the cellphone is probably the piece of modern equipment that is the most widespread in most African countries, with many more people owning one than other artifacts of the modern life like refrigerators, television, or even electricity ( ...snip....
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I believe you are correct. Cell phones in poor countries can pay for themselves by allowing farmers to know which local market is paying the best prices for their harvest. Communication lowers transaction costs and eliminates unnecessary costly and time-consuming transportation. Third world countries are even using cell phones as bank accounts, in places where banks are almost nonexistent.