Only 2.5
percent of the Tanzanian total population has access to the internet according
to the info graphic provided by iHub research. Almost three quarter of those who
have the internet access they can access the internet through their mobile
phones. When compared to the total population of Tanzania of around 45 million
people to have just one fortieth of the all population, to be the only group
that can access the internet is too challenging for the growth of the technology
industry in Tanzania.
We expect
by 2015 the number of mobile phone users to reach 36 million most of them would
be using the basic phones, phones which have basic features that allow only receiving
phone calls and sending text messages. Currently mobile phone companies are
using SMS applications to provide service to their customers when it comes
they have to provide massive information to the subscribers. Most of these USSD
based applications they work in both highly featured phones and basic phones. As
of April –July 2011 the number of mobile phone subscribers was around 22
million which is around 52 percent of the whole population.
The facts and figures explained in detail why
we should put more effort in encouraging people to use internet through their
mobile phones and enhance our network connection. Mobile phones have been used
as major means of communication for a very long period of time in Africa but
know these small hand held gadget they should save more purpose than just allow
people to communicate by receiving phone calls and texting. The mobile phones
are used to impact the communities by helping several projects requiring the
use of technology to communicate and create awareness.
The
mobile projects such as M-Farming systems, M-Banking and M-Health systems will
help to improve the provision of services even in the interior regions of our
country. The project like Tigo Kilimo for mobile farming systems will be able
to impact communities more than the education provided in classes or local
village committee about proper farming systems.
People
should be encouraged to use their mobile phone for other powerful activities
and if they are encouraged to do so they will definitely practice. With less
than two year of operation Mobile money system have attracted thousands of
African to use the services through their mobile phones. It is believed that
the services have been successful that it has been a threat to the traditional
banking systems. Some banks have been involving themselves in providing the
mobile money services to encounter the challenged posed to them from the Mobile
companies. If more effort is put into creating rooms to these services and the
network penetration is conducive then these services will help a lot in
boosting Africa economy for better tomorrow.
TECH360 Magazine