Indian R&D to lead IBM's charge into mobile market

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 22 April 2008 06:22

IT Industry - Strategy

IBM's Institute for Business Value predicts the number of mobile Web users will grow by 191 percent from 2006 to 2011 to reach one billion. "This proliferation of mobile devices and mobile Web users signals an incredibly lucrative growth opportunity for businesses," it says.

The study commissioned by Nokia in late 2006  and undertaken by The Centre for Knowledge Societies (CKS) showed that mobile communication was revolutionising economic and social life in rural India, spawning a wave of local entrepreneurs and creating greater access to social services.

It identified seven major service sectors including transport, finance and healthcare that could be radically transformed through mobile technologies. and called on national and international governments, the mobile industry and NGOs to work together to support the development of these services by increasing access to, and use of, mobile communications in rural communities.

According to Nokia, the research was based on detailed ethnography and participant observation among communities living in three rural areas - Badaun in Uttar Pradesh, Satara in Maharashtra and Chittradurga in Karnataka - and one urban area, Bengalooru.

Researchers meet with small business owners, farmers, home owners and others to understand how mobile communication had already transformed their daily lives and the further potential of mobile communications to enhance livelihoods.

The report includes 16 case studies of individuals interviewed for the report including small business people, entrepreneurs, home owners, farmers and many others. These case studies explored how mobile phone ownership had impacted their lives and businesses.