Indonesia: In "emerging nations," more cell phones used to access Internet than computers

Posted by Rosemary D'Amour on December 11, 2008 at 4:00 PM

Mobile phones are the primary way of accessing the Internet for people in "emerging markets," or those with poor fixed-line telecommunications, mobile technology companies are reporting.

It could be inferred from the information that in emerging nations, focus on the mobile market would produce higher revenues for advertisers or even news organizations trying to increase readership.

Countries such as Indonesia have many areas "lacking high-speed cable broadband connections, DSL lines or even regular phone lines for dial-up service," the Wall Street Journal is reporting.

Improvements in mobile technology have made it easier and quicker to go online via cell phones. The cost can also be cheaper than buying a computer or paying for home Internet service.

Wireless network operators and companies have seen emerging nations as "crucial" for growth, WSJ reports. They've developed their software to work with the technology available in poorer countries, compressing software to be quicker to access via mobile technology.

In developed markets, WSJ reports, the focus is on "smart-phones," which have similar functions to PC's with video and graphics. Cell phones in poorer nations are required more for checking email or social networking sites, and are hundreds of dollars cheaper.

Desktop browsers are still the larger global market than mobile versions, however, the mobile-browser market is "surging," WSJ reports.

Source: Wall Street Journal