Mobile Telephony in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

A mobile telephone is a telecommunications device that connects its user to a network using a wireless radio wave transmission technology. In some parts of the world, mobile phones are known as cellular phones. Mobile telephones were first introduced in the mid-1980s (Marcussen, 2002; Sadeh & Sadeh, 2002; Sarker & Wells, 2003). Mobile telephony is diffusing globally due to a variety of reasons, including cost advantages in setting up the system compared to landlines, its small-sized nature, portability, and its ability to foster and enhance social relationships, among others (Plant, n.d.; Marcussen, 2002; Sadeh & Sadeh, 2002; Sarker & Wells, 2003; ITU, 2004; Anonymous, 2006). According to reports by ITU (2004), the percentage of total telephone subscribers that are mobile telephone subscribers has been increasing over the last five years. In 2005, mobile telephone subscribers were approximately 62% of total telephone subscribers for the five regions of the world.