The innovative use of mobile applications in the Philippines - lessons for Africa

Description:
The costs of mobile telephony have dropped steadily, coverage has expanded and mobile phone subscriptions in developing countries have increased by over 500 per cent since 2000. Mobile phones are now the primary form of telecommunication in developing countries and they are used for communications, information and, more recently, access to a range of services from m-Banking to m-Education and m-Governance. The transformation of society by mobile telephony, and especially mobile applications, is perhaps most profound in the Philippines. This publication digs deeper into the Philippine experience and attempts to identify best practices and lessons learned. Access to financial and other services in many developing countries is limited, especially in rural and remote areas. The fact that so many people in developing countries lack access to financial and other services, coupled with the dramatic growth of mobile phone access through most of the developing world, provides an opportunity to reach hundreds of millions of people currently outside the banking system.