You must have noticed the Idea Cellular advertisement on television saying “ab har koi apne number se jana jayega” (Every body will be known by their number). This advertisement clearly talks about the recognition of the mobile phone as an individual's identity. Though this is not recognised by the government, this unique identity has been accepted by the society.

In a short period of close to ten years, mobile phones have transformed the social and business structure by a completely new slogan: “roti, kapda, makaan aur mobile” (food, clothes, house, and mobile).

But now we have entered into the second phase of this revolution, where a cell phone is not just a communication device; it has become a part of the individual's identity.

“Wireless technology is a powerful tool that not only empowers individuals but also transforms developing regions,” says Paul E Jacobs, CEO, Qualcomm. “We believe it's important to actively promote social uses of technology throughout the world, enabling much needed connectivity, and economic, and social benefits,” he adds. On one hand, the mobile phone has created new business opportunities and on the other, it has given a boost to the existing businesses with a value added model.

For Farmers
Over 70% of the Indian population lives in villages and small towns, but it accounts for just 27% of India's gross domestic product (GDP). Unfortunately, the benefits of the recent economic progress are not reaching rural parts of the country.

Although, the government is striving to provide information and advice to farmers through mass media outlets, this information has had a minor impact. In the absence of proper education and information, it is possible that the farmers could use the wrong types and quantities of fertilizers and pesticides, causing soil erosion, damaging the environment, and decreasing productivity. But this situation is no longer going to hamper the growth of farmers, since the mobile phone has comes to their rescue.

Qualcomm and Tata Consultancy Services have designed a new application called mKrishni, to help farmers receive information through the mobile. A group of hundred farmers, growing grapes, has already started using the application on a trial basis. The application uses the mobile to provide correct information useful to farmers to multiply their productivity.

Experts at TCS are of the opinion that the application will help farmers tackle any challenge as it is designed to provide all the field-specific information including soil, weather, and even picture information. Although, the project is in the pilot stage at the moment, it is expected to reach the mass rural gentry in a short while, as some service providers are already working on local mandi rates and nearest purchase centres available.

Mobile Vending
Another success story achieved with the help of the mobile is of a vegetable vendor from Delhi's Vasant Kunj area, Ramdhani, who came to Delhi as a migrant worker from Bihar. The Vasant Kunj area is inhabited with professionals, businessmen, and executives of the higher order, which gives them lesser time to shop after a hard day of work. But this was to be viewed as a problem in the past. Ramdhani, in an attempt to grow his business and simultaneously help the residents, circulated his telephone number in the vicinity and to his surprise, in just a few months, his sales had grown manifold.

Mobile phones being distributed to fisherfolks on the third anniversary of tsunami at Chennai

The increase in sales volumes required that he increased the number of delivery boys from one to the present three, and kept two cell phones instead of one. With the help of the mobile, residents can call him to book their order, and in a given time, his delivery boys deliver the order.

Ramdhani, a seventh grade dropout, now wishes to provide his son proper education. And with the power of the mobile and his dream to become big, he also wants to own a big vegetable shop soon.

'Fisherman's Friend'
R Selvam is a small time fisherman in Veerampattanam, Puducherry. He gets up early and goes to the sea in search of fish. He gets lucky once in a while when he comes up with a big catch. Somehow he manages to earn his livelihood. But now life has come a full circle for him and others in his village.

Selvam now uses a mobile phone that informs him about the location of the schools of fish in the sea, with the help of a new BREW application called 'Fisher Friend'. In 2007, fishermen in the tsunami-affected Tamil Nadu region were provided mobile phones with the 'Fisher Friend' application. The application was created to bridge critical information gaps by enabling speedy dissemination of data. With a single click, fishermen can quickly access crucial information such as weather conditions, whether they can or can't fish, and market prices-all in their local language. The flexible nature of the technology platform allows 'Fisher Friend' to be customized through user-friendly control panels. The application can undergo further upgrades and changes according to the needs of the fishing communities.

The Real Earner
Bharti Airtel covers all telecom circles in the country. With its nationwide presence and good infrastructure, Bharti Airtel was the chosen telecommunications vendor for two of the country's most popular reality TV shows-Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) and Indian Idol. KBC, the Indian adaptation of the reality game show, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, was the nation's most widely watched program in the history of Indian television.

Hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, a legendary icon of the Indian cinema, KBC was the first reality show on the face of Indian television that spawned the beginning of India's reality TV model. The second season, KBC 2 carried double the prize money-a staggering Rs two crore. When an open contest was aired on KBC at the end of each episode, millions of viewers sent an SMSes in a short span of just 3-4 minutes

Indian Idol is a singing talent contest developed along the lines of American Idol and Pop Idol. The contest has taken the country by storm, generating over a million calls from aspirants right from its very first season, thanks to the growing mobile penetration!

Indian Idol generated over 30 mn SMSes in the run-up to the final of the show.

As and when the mobile came in the country, it was a luxury that only rich people could afford. In the present-day life, however, the mobile has become as basic a need as food, shelter, and clothing.

The innovations in applications and techniques of usage are definitely taking the common man up the ladder of growth and success. It is just a matter of time when, for our country, the rural will not be rural at all.

Kumar Anshuman
anshumank@cybermedia.co.in

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