Calling for change.(NET EFFECT: HOW TECHNOLOGY SHAPES THE WORLD)(mobile companies supply to be increased)(Brief article)

Foreign Policy,  March, 2006  by Bruce, Chaddus

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Forget about free trade agreements, hydroelectric dams, and paved roads. The most important tool for spurring development in poor countries might just fit in the palm of your hand. "Mobile phones are more critical [to development] than physical infrastructure," says University of Michigan management expert C.K. Prahalad. Easy communication helps people negotiate deals, get goods to market, and access important services, such as banking or insurance.

The trouble is, the cost of mobile handsets remains out of reach for most of the world's poorest people. Experts say that ...

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