GSMA Launches Global Coalition to Make Smartphones Affordable for Poorest Populations
Telecom industry group GSMA announced on Wednesday the formation of a global coalition of companies, organizations, and financial institutions aimed at making smartphones more accessible and affordable for some of the world’s poorest populations.
The coalition will include mobile operators, vendors, and global institutions such as the World Bank Group, the United Nations’ agency ITU, and the WEF Edison Alliance, the GSMA said in a statement.
The group will explore ways to lower the cost of entry into the digital economy for low-income populations, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
“Handset affordability is often recognized as the most significant barrier to getting people online,” the GSMA stated. Mobile phones are often the only means for people in low- and middle-income countries to access the internet, with 38% of the global population unable to use mobile internet due to high costs and lack of skills.
“The coalition will collaborate to improve access to affordable internet-enabled devices to close the ‘Usage Gap,’ which holds back around three billion people worldwide from maximizing their potential in the global digital economy,” it added.
Source: Reuters
