The Austrian Network for Information and Communication Technologies for Development ( www.ict4d.at ) has realised this interesting documentary showing the rapid and increasingly growing development of the use of mobile phones in Africa. The video shows how so-called "developing" countries are catching up with technologies as well as the massive importance mobile communications are gaining in local societies.
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Thursday, 12 July 2012
Hello Africa - "The mobile is the future, it's the way forward..."
The Austrian Network for Information and Communication Technologies for Development ( www.ict4d.at ) has realised this interesting documentary showing the rapid and increasingly growing development of the use of mobile phones in Africa. The video shows how so-called "developing" countries are catching up with technologies as well as the massive importance mobile communications are gaining in local societies.
Wednesday, 27 June 2012
Pakistan and SMS: an inseparable binomial!
Pakistanis are increasingly
becoming attracted to SMS facilities and services. Being able to use SMS has
become an essential everyday-life need for thousands of Pakistanis. National
and international connections amongst Pakistanis, its diaspora communities and
foreign actors are however, creating uncomfortable issues as many discuss
conspiracy theories through SMS messaging and much of the chatter is about
foreign intervention and technological snooping through mobile networks. According
to an article posted in the Nation
newspaper, the vibrant circulation of SMS in Pakistan is causing the
propagation of allegations which is further corroding trust in politicians
which is already at an all time low.
The SMS conspiracy theories may provoke
criticism and suspicion by many of us. However it is critical to understand the
wide impact text messages can have on one nation and its citizens. If these
technologies are to be used for social development purposes, real achievements
could be made in local development and conflict resolution. Indeed, SMS and
text messaging can be used to enhance mutual understanding among different religious
or ethnic communities - instead of raging endlessly against politicians. The
former would help the financial and social development of countries instead of
tearing apart trust in political systems.
Faith Matters, a London based
not-for-profit organisation, recently developed an SMS campaign to reduce
inter-faith tensions in Pakistan. According to the Project Managers, the campaign
has been a real success, as the majority of people responding to the SMS
received showed great receptiveness and willingness to solve specific issues
affecting the nation by suggesting solutions. Millions of Pakistanis were engaged
in this process with over 4-6 million people engaged with and over 100 million
SMS text messages were sent in FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) and
AJK (Azad Jammu and Kashmir). Faith Matters also mapped responses at a district
level in relation to each message showing which ones resonated in which
districts in Pakistan and which did not.
The use of SMS in countries like
Pakistan can be a great tool for development. Yet, here is the key problem? It
can also be used to promote fear, tensions and mistrust.
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
A turning point for Senegal: SMS and innovative mapping technologies to ensure fair and democratic elections
February 2012 has been an
innovative year for Senegal and its political processes. The impatiently
awaited presidential elections have been monitored nationally and
internationally to secure a more just and free result, making sure that no
incidents were to be obstructing the democratic process. The not-for-profit
organisation One World in partnership with different international organisations
set up an innovative technological system that allowed monitoring the elections
in real time.
The project included a consortium
of officers and analysts collecting and monitoring data coming from different
regional polling stations on a national level. The analysed results were then
sent to the One World team, who from their London based office mapped the
results in real time. This innovative project clearly shows the potential
residing in simple communication tools, such as mobile phones. Indeed, the collected
data were sent to the UK by using a standard SMS code that could rapidly be
analysed and made public.
The mapping system was developed to
clearly and publicly show real-time statuses of each regional polling station
by using a colour-based coding system: green if the situation was good, shading
to red if there were problems reported. Problems could include organisational
or logistical issues, as well as incidents of violence, tension or potential
attempts to corrupt voters.
The success of this ground-breaking
technique was shown just few hours after the opening of the polls; where about
1021 polling stations were sending information in. As suggested by One World,
one of the greatest outcomes of this project has been the possibility to
measure the amount, capacity and location of well-functioning polling stations.
The election monitoring through
this system proved itself for both rounds of elections and enabled Senegal, as
well as the international public, to access the final results in real time. Therefore,
Wide World technologies not only have proved to be able to speed up the
electoral process, but also to ensure transparent and fair elections. Indeed real-time monitoring enabled to screen
and manipulate potential dysfunctions rapidly.
According to Senegalese citizens
the February 2012 elections represented the victory of democracy in Senegal.
Monday, 30 April 2012
San Francisco Putting Itself On The Map
P. Barden
San Francisco is increasingly being referred to as a "truly smart city”, thanks in large part to the introduction of SanFran311: a revolutionary application for reporting local public concerns directly to
local government offices - in real time.
The label "smart city" is still somewhat fuzzy. To some its definition rests on the development of a hyper-connected "internet of things" allowing a city to speak to itself, to others an environment driven by opportunities in ICTs to boost local business competitiveness. In the midst of ever-accelerating technological evolution it might be easy to forget to put the human at the centre of urban development. Not so for the case of San Francisco.
The label "smart city" is still somewhat fuzzy. To some its definition rests on the development of a hyper-connected "internet of things" allowing a city to speak to itself, to others an environment driven by opportunities in ICTs to boost local business competitiveness. In the midst of ever-accelerating technological evolution it might be easy to forget to put the human at the centre of urban development. Not so for the case of San Francisco.
SanFran311, built by the developers HeyGov!, is a sophisticated web and mobile app for citizens to submit, track, and analyse service requests in the city’s
311 non-emergency reporting system. Requests include “Illegal_dumping”, “Pavement_defect”, “Sign_defaced”, or
even the very specific “Damaged_Side_Sewer_Vent_Cover”. Pictures can be
uploaded at the same time to validate requests.
Reports already suggest that this system has improved community engagement and increased public collaboration,
as well as shortened the time taken by the local authority to address service
requests and implement updates – “even during peak times” (Forbes, April 29
2012).
The programming for the next
Credemus Associates event, Put
it on The Map: Smart Cities and Crowdmapping was inspired by this
ground-breaking public service. We think this is a monumental game-changer,
fundamentally changing the face of local government by giving city residents
the ability to upload a huge range of hyper-local service requests in real time.
With SanFran311 for inspiration, we believe the smartest thing about smart cities is smart citizenship - a line of argument this event seeks to explore.
With SanFran311 for inspiration, we believe the smartest thing about smart cities is smart citizenship - a line of argument this event seeks to explore.
The programme will feature the
following speakers:
• Dr Mike Short, President of the Institution of Engineering and
Technology & Vice President of Public Affairs at Telefonica International
• Francois Gray, Director of Citizen Cyberscience Centre
• Paul Conneally, Head of Communications & Partnership Promotion at
International Telecommunication Union, former Head of Media and Public
Communications at International Red Cross
• Esther Gunn-Stewart, North Ayrshire Council Customer Services Manager
– developer of “Report It” app
For more information about the
event click HERE.
Monday, 16 April 2012
Monitoring Aid and Climate Change on a Map
Two US based organisations, AidData and Climate Change and
African Political Stability (CCAPS), have launched a pilot programme developed
around a dynamic mapping tool.
The aim of this platform is to help people
visualising African climate change, conflict and aid through the support of an
interactive map.
This tool not only allows policymakers to analyse data on a
wide and varied scale, but can also enable a deeper understanding of factors
influencing aid, as well as a broader share of good practices among interested
parties.
The integration of a mapping system within climate change
and conflict resolution projects represents
a great way to effectively present both natural and social changes that would
otherwise be difficult to track.
Ashley Moran from CCPAS confirmed that although the pilot is
still at its initial stage, the organisation is working to develop further
applications around crowdsourcing in international development.
The greatest merit of this tool is that it increases
disaster response capacity by enhancing a two way communication with citizens,
who constantly input with their feedback and contributions.
Our suggestion: UK based NGOs should start looking at the
potential embedded within these tools.
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Iran - Double Standards
MTN
Group has denied allegations made by US-based lobbying group Uani that
it bought technology that allowed the Iranian government to track mobile users,
saying in a letter to the lobbyists that its Iranian unit is compliant with all
laws, Dow Jones Newswires has reported. The claim was made in a letter to MTN's
CEO in January. Similar claims have been made of Huawei and Nokia. However the
Lawful Interception Management System is a feature of mobile network
architecture, mandated by the US Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement
Act (CALEA).
Zain Mobile Signs up for Windows SmartPhones
Microsoft
and Zain are co-operating to promote Windows Smartphones in the Middle East,
the Kuwait-based telco said in a statement issued on Sunday. The deal was
struck last week in Barcelona.
Nabeel Bin Salamah, CEO of Zain Group noted that, ‘the smartphone has become a necessary item in today’s society…’. Gustavo Fuchs, Microsoft Mobility Director, Middle East and Africa said that the growth of smartphones is fuelling the global mobile market. He quoted research house International Data Corporation (IDC) as having forecast that the Windows Phone will have the second largest share of the smartphone market by 2015.
It
is planned to launch Windows Phone software later this year, jointly with
smartphone devices from selected manufacturers, which will be targeted at
businesses and consumers in Zain’s mobile operations in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan,
Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and South Sudan.
It
is envisaged that the partnership will permit the development of an
applications ecosystem within Zain’s mobile network, facilitating developers to
create and publish applications for the marketplace.
Nabeel Bin Salamah, CEO of Zain Group noted that, ‘the smartphone has become a necessary item in today’s society…’. Gustavo Fuchs, Microsoft Mobility Director, Middle East and Africa said that the growth of smartphones is fuelling the global mobile market. He quoted research house International Data Corporation (IDC) as having forecast that the Windows Phone will have the second largest share of the smartphone market by 2015.
He
noted the growth of smartphones in the region with a prediction of 38 percent
year-on-year growth for 2012.
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