Mobile Usage at the Base of the Pyramid in Kenya

With the cost of mobile phones decreasing steadily, what was once considered a luxury good is now more commonly considered a necessity by many Kenyans, including those at the economic base of the pyramid (BoP). iHub research and research solutions Africa conducted a 6-month study in order to increase the understanding of actual usage of mobile services, products, and applications at the BoP and to understand their potential for economic and social empowerment. The study covered urban and rural areas of 6 districts in Kenya. Its findings are not nationally representative, but comparisons with representative surveys show no significant differences for key indicators, such as phone possession. The added value of the study at hand lies in the qualitative insights on choices, lifestyles, habits and mobile phone usage patterns used among phone owners at the BoP, as well as its focus on add-on services ranging from phone applications to various Internet tools. The overall objective of the study was to provide a thorough and fact-based understanding of the current and potential future demand and usage patterns of the mobile devices by the BoP in Kenya.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: World Bank
Language:English
en_US
Published: Washington, DC 2012-12
Subjects:3G, ACCESS TO EDUCATION, ADVERTISEMENT, ADVERTISING, APPLICATION SOFTWARE, AUTHENTICATION, BASIC, BEST PRACTICES, BOOKMARK, BROWSER, BROWSING, BUSINESS MODEL, BUSINESS MODELS, BUSINESS PLANS, BUSINESS VALUE, BUSINESSES, BUYERS, CALCULATORS, CAPABILITIES, CAPABILITY, CAPITAL INVESTMENT, CITIZEN USE, CODES, CODING, COLLABORATION, COLOR SCREENS, COMMODITIES, COMMODITY, COMMUNITIES, CONSUMER MARKET, CONTENTS, CUSTOMER LOYALTY, DATA CAPTURE, DATA COLLECTION, DATA PROCESSING, DELIVERY SERVICE, DELIVERY SYSTEM, DESCRIPTION, DOCUMENTS, E-MAIL, ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES, ELECTRICITY, ELECTRONICS, EMAILS, END USER, ENTERTAINMENT, FINANCIAL PRODUCTS, FINANCIAL SERVICES, FOCUS GROUP, FRAUD, FRONT-END, FUNCTIONALITIES, FUNCTIONALITY, GLOBAL ECONOMY, GLOBAL MARKETPLACE, GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM, GOVERNMENT POLICY, GPS, GRAPHICAL INTERFACES, GROUP DISCUSSION, HACKERS, HARDWARE, HARDWARE COMPONENTS, ICT, INFORMATION COMMUNICATION, INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES, INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION, INNOVATION PROGRAM, INTERNET SITES, KNOW-HOW, LEARNING, LICENSE, LICENSES, MANAGEMENT INFORMATION, MARKET PLACE, MARKET PLACES, MARKET PRICE, MARKET PRICES, MARKET SHARE, MARKET SHARES, MARKETING, MARKETING STRATEGY, MEDIA, MENUS, MOBILE APPLICATION, MOBILE APPLICATIONS, MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS, MOBILE DEVICE, MOBILE DEVICES, MOBILE NETWORK, MOBILE PHONE, MOBILE PHONES, MOBILE SERVICE, MOBILE SERVICES, MOBILE TELEPHONY, MOBILE USAGE, NETWORK CONNECTION, NETWORK SERVICE, NETWORK SERVICES, NETWORKING, NETWORKS, NUMBER OF USERS, ONLINE ACTIVITIES, OPERATING SYSTEM, PENETRATION RATE, PHONE CALLS, PHONE NUMBER, PHONE NUMBERS, PHONE SERVICES, PHOTOS, PRICE INFORMATION, PRIVATE SECTOR, PROGRAMS, PURCHASING POWER, PURCHASING POWER PARITY, QUERIES, RADIO, RADIO STATIONS, READING, REFERENCE SOURCE, REGISTRY, REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, RELIABILITY, RESEARCHERS, RESULTS, REVENUE STREAMS, RURAL ELECTRIFICATION, SERVICE DELIVERY, SERVICE PROVIDER, SERVICE PROVIDERS, SITES, SMART CARD, SMART PHONE, SMART PHONES, SOCIAL SCIENCES, STATISTICAL ANALYSIS SOFTWARE, SUPERVISION, TARGETS, TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS, TECHNOLOGY SECTOR, TELECOM, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, TELEPHONE, TRANSACTION, TRANSLATION, TRANSPARENCY, USER, USER INTERFACE, USER INTERFACES, USERS, USES, VIDEO, VOICE MAIL, WEB, WEB BROWSER, WEB PORTAL, WEBSITE, WIRELESS,
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2012/12/18806923/mobile-usage-base-pyramid-kenya
https://hdl.handle.net/10986/17628
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:With the cost of mobile phones decreasing steadily, what was once considered a luxury good is now more commonly considered a necessity by many Kenyans, including those at the economic base of the pyramid (BoP). iHub research and research solutions Africa conducted a 6-month study in order to increase the understanding of actual usage of mobile services, products, and applications at the BoP and to understand their potential for economic and social empowerment. The study covered urban and rural areas of 6 districts in Kenya. Its findings are not nationally representative, but comparisons with representative surveys show no significant differences for key indicators, such as phone possession. The added value of the study at hand lies in the qualitative insights on choices, lifestyles, habits and mobile phone usage patterns used among phone owners at the BoP, as well as its focus on add-on services ranging from phone applications to various Internet tools. The overall objective of the study was to provide a thorough and fact-based understanding of the current and potential future demand and usage patterns of the mobile devices by the BoP in Kenya.