l
u
t
i
o
n
s
The School of Mobile Vol. 2 - The Detail Chapter 3 - Mobile Technology and Solu�ons

S
o
y

&
n
o
l
o
g
What’s more, over 90% of these mobile phones are WAP enabled, and while this technical
feature has not yet been widely exploited commercially, most African countries stand ready
T
e
c
h
with GPRS and 3G technologies. As so o�en is the case, it is not the forward thinking planning
of execu�ves that defines market developments, but rather the markets themselves. For
example, according to studies by Vodafone and Nielsen Netra�ngs, released towards the end
of 2008, twice as many South Africans access the internet via their mobile phone (10 million)
than via their computer (5 million). South African networks and mobile phone manufacturers
have responded to this growing number of mobile internet users with adver�sing that focuses
on offering easy to use, cheap data plans for both prepaid- and contract customers.
It is significant to note that the an�quated billing of internet connec�ons by the �me spent
online from the early days of analog modem dial ups has never even entered the African
mobile internet market. Rather, users pay for the actual data transfer only. And with only
about USD 0.01 for 1MB of data traffic, the rates are much cheaper when compared to the
western world.. Furthermore, operators are making their money mostly “upfront”, one of the
posi�ve spin offs off the cash based business model.
Given the above scenario, it is not surprising to note that Africa is not only ready for mobile,
but ideally posi�oned to benefit from the mobile technology explosion. This is true for
companies who wish to enter the market to generate profits as well as the African popula�on,
which can improve its lifestyle by leapfrogging many developed countries with the use of
mobile applica�ons.
The stage is set. It now remains up to the entrepreneurial spirit to create and offer the right
services and applica�ons, and forward thinking companies would be well advised to keep in
mind Steve Jobs insight that “you cannot always wait for the customer to tell you what he
wants”. Interes�ngly, it is o�en smaller, agile service providers instead of the slow moving,
established ad agencies, who can help companies to develop a sustainable, long term mobile
strategy that fits in seamlessly with their exis�ng marke�ng efforts.
Go to Table of Contents Go to Table of Contents
88 © EyeforTravel Research. All rights reserved. © EyeforTravel Research. All rights reserved. 89
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178  |  Page 179  |  Page 180  |  Page 181  |  Page 182  |  Page 183  |  Page 184  |  Page 185  |  Page 186  |  Page 187  |  Page 188  |  Page 189