From voice ubiquity to mobile broadband: challenges of technology transition among low‐income Jamaicans

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how the prevailing widespread and popular access to mobile phones among Jamaica's poor may be used to support the public policy goal of transitioning these users from mainly voice to more advanced applications, including m‐government, personal educational growth and teleworking, via increased connectivity to mobile internet and other forms of broadband access.

Design/methodology/approach

The article analytically reports the findings of two national usage studies of low‐income mobile respondents in Jamaica.

Findings

There is a prevailing positive disposition among Jamaicans of all social classes for the use of higher levels of work‐related communications technologies, once these are priced in a manner that make them accessible. This is a strong foundation upon which to build crucial technology links to key business and economic opportunities. Mobiles are potential bridges for low‐income users from their present voice‐dominated usage to higher end applications such as further education, better access to public services and other more intensive work‐related uses.

Practical implications

If made more accessible, mobile internet could help bridge information and education gaps experienced by the financially impoverished majority. More low‐income people could be connected through such simplified protocol platforms as .Mobi and into wider use of M‐services.

Originality/value

The empirical studies indicate for the first time that low income users of mobile phones are not just engaged in idle chatter but have a higher order economic and survival motivation in their patterns and uses of the mobile phone.

Citation

Dunn, H.S. (2009), "From voice ubiquity to mobile broadband: challenges of technology transition among low‐income Jamaicans", info, Vol. 11 No. 2, pp. 95-111. https://doi.org/10.1108/14636690910941911