The "mobile boom" in Africa

Modern Phone Coverage

Abstract

The author previously introduced in a series of articles the development of the African continent’s intercontinental telecommunications – before the proliferation of cellular telephones – which enabled African countries to integrate into the global economy (with the help of submarine cables and satellites). This article is basically dealing with current trends in African telecommunications, focusing on the faster than world average proliferation of cell phones. Beside the role of GDP, the study also presents – with a correlation-calculation – the role of other internal (ownerships, policy regulation) and external factors (natural, demographic, settlement structures) in the diffusion of services. Consequently, there are countries which population may enjoy the benefits of the surprisingly multi-purpose mobile-phones in Africa (including money transfer, stock exchange information, distance learning, weather services) to a greater extent than their average income would allow.