Comments on: Motorola for sub$30 handset for “unconnected” http://lirneasia.net/2005/09/motorola-for-sub30-handset-for-unconnected/ LIRNEasia Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:24:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: venkatesh.s http://lirneasia.net/2005/09/motorola-for-sub30-handset-for-unconnected/comment-page-1/#comment-13429 venkatesh.s Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:00:37 +0000 http://www.lirneasia.net/2005/09/motorola-for-sub30-handset-for-unconnected/#comment-13429 i lookin as a one of ur clints in gsm line pl give me one good Appurtunity, i lookin as a one of ur clints in gsm line pl give me one good Appurtunity,

]]> By: Chemani http://lirneasia.net/2005/09/motorola-for-sub30-handset-for-unconnected/comment-page-1/#comment-3381 Chemani Sat, 06 May 2006 10:18:54 +0000 http://www.lirneasia.net/2005/09/motorola-for-sub30-handset-for-unconnected/#comment-3381 TAC of motorola C113a TAC of motorola C113a

]]> By: goswami http://lirneasia.net/2005/09/motorola-for-sub30-handset-for-unconnected/comment-page-1/#comment-3380 goswami Tue, 18 Oct 2005 06:17:59 +0000 http://www.lirneasia.net/2005/09/motorola-for-sub30-handset-for-unconnected/#comment-3380 Mobile industry focuses on handsets for poor, goal is to get to $15 per handset. http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/09/30/HNhandsetsforpoor_1.html Mobile industry focuses on handsets for poor, goal is to get to $15 per handset.

http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/09/30/HNhandsetsforpoor_1.html

]]> By: Abu Saeed Khan http://lirneasia.net/2005/09/motorola-for-sub30-handset-for-unconnected/comment-page-1/#comment-3379 Abu Saeed Khan Mon, 03 Oct 2005 11:05:59 +0000 http://www.lirneasia.net/2005/09/motorola-for-sub30-handset-for-unconnected/#comment-3379 Sub-$30 handset of Motorola is certainly "a milestone achievement" as Craig Ehrlich claims. Infenion and Philips has also claimed to launch sub-$20 handset platforms in 2006. Nokia is contemplating the launch of similar products. We are to find if these prices are for the dealers or for the consumers. Such handsets will undoubtedly reduce the startup cost of mobile phone. The customers generating $5 monthly ARPU are targetted audience. These customers of the Afro-Asian mobile markets are the growth engine of next billion worldwide GSM clientele. One issue, however, needs to be addressed immediately. The $30 or $20 is a significant investment compared to the earnings of most of the ultra-low-cost (ULC)handset users. Despite having all provisions, the regulatory countermeasure to deter the stealing of mobile handsets are yet to be applied in South Asia. GSM has become the dominant technology of mobile telephone. If you subscribe a new connection, you get a SIM. Then you buy a preferred handset and insert the SIM card. The connection is on. If you dial *#06# on any GSM handset a number will be displayed. This is called International Mobile Equipment Identity or IMEI number. Every GSM handset has a unique IMEI code. Regulators should mandate the mobile operators to maintain a database of their subscribers’ IMEI code. Soon after receiving the report of stolen or lost handset, the operators immediately block that handset’s IMEI number in their networks. Therefore, nobody will ever be able to use that stolen or lost handset. If anyone tries, his SIM should be cancelled as a penalty of conniving with the black market. But the real problem is somewhere else. The pirates have succeeded to break the IMEI code and re-programme the handsets. In the UK, a law (Mobile Phones Reprogramming Act 2002) has been made to prevent the mobile handset reprogramming. France, Germany, Greece, Spain and other European countries are contemplating to introduce very harsh anti re-programming of mobile handsets law. Kenyan mobile phone operators -- Safaricom and Kencell -- have launched a service to block the IMEI serial numbers of stolen handsets. It will be jointly operated by these two firms and the respective police authorities. Other African mobile phone service providers such as Tanzania’a Celtel, Vodacom, Mobitel and Zantel as well as Uganda’s MTN, UTL and Celtel Uganda have joined forces to ensure the schemes success. They have agreed to offer reciprocal stolen phones blacklisting services on their networks. LIRNEasia should persuade the South Asian regulators to mandate the GSM operators in creating a common database on handsets with the Central Equipment Identifying Register (CEIR) at Dublin, Ireland. This would mean that once a customer reports its phone being stolen or lost, that phone would be blocked from using across the globe. This would make the stolen mobile phones unattractive to the black market. Such step should be initiated at the SAARC level to protect the telecom future of South Asia. Sub-$30 handset of Motorola is certainly “a milestone achievement” as Craig Ehrlich claims. Infenion and Philips has also claimed to launch sub-$20 handset platforms in 2006. Nokia is contemplating the launch of similar products. We are to find if these prices are for the dealers or for the consumers. Such handsets will undoubtedly reduce the startup cost of mobile phone. The customers generating $5 monthly ARPU are targetted audience. These customers of the Afro-Asian mobile markets are the growth engine of next billion worldwide GSM clientele.

One issue, however, needs to be addressed immediately. The $30 or $20 is a significant investment compared to the earnings of most of the ultra-low-cost (ULC)handset users. Despite having all provisions, the regulatory countermeasure to deter the stealing of mobile handsets are yet to be applied in South Asia.

GSM has become the dominant technology of mobile telephone. If you subscribe a new connection, you get a SIM. Then you buy a preferred handset and insert the SIM card. The connection is on.

If you dial *#06# on any GSM handset a number will be displayed. This is called International Mobile Equipment Identity or IMEI number. Every GSM handset has a unique IMEI code.

Regulators should mandate the mobile operators to maintain a database of their subscribers’ IMEI code. Soon after receiving the report of stolen or lost handset, the operators immediately block that handset’s IMEI number in their networks. Therefore, nobody will ever be able to use that stolen or lost handset. If anyone tries, his SIM should be cancelled as a penalty of conniving with the black market.

But the real problem is somewhere else. The pirates have succeeded to break the IMEI code and re-programme the handsets. In the UK, a law (Mobile Phones Reprogramming Act 2002) has been made to prevent the mobile handset reprogramming. France, Germany, Greece, Spain and other European countries are contemplating to introduce very harsh anti re-programming of mobile handsets law.

Kenyan mobile phone operators — Safaricom and Kencell — have launched a service to block the IMEI serial numbers of stolen handsets. It will be jointly operated by these two firms and the respective police authorities.

Other African mobile phone service providers such as Tanzania’a Celtel, Vodacom, Mobitel and Zantel as well as Uganda’s MTN, UTL and Celtel Uganda have joined forces to ensure the schemes success. They have agreed to offer reciprocal stolen phones blacklisting services on their networks.

LIRNEasia should persuade the South Asian regulators to mandate the GSM operators in creating a common database on handsets with the Central Equipment Identifying Register (CEIR) at Dublin, Ireland. This would mean that once a customer reports its phone being stolen or lost, that phone would be blocked from using across the globe. This would make the stolen mobile phones unattractive to the black market. Such step should be initiated at the SAARC level to protect the telecom future of South Asia.

]]> By: samarajiva http://lirneasia.net/2005/09/motorola-for-sub30-handset-for-unconnected/comment-page-1/#comment-3378 samarajiva Wed, 28 Sep 2005 03:53:46 +0000 http://www.lirneasia.net/2005/09/motorola-for-sub30-handset-for-unconnected/#comment-3378 Indeed, very relevant. We will be posting the first set of slides from the Singapore course reporting some of the findings of the survey of telecom use on a shoestring shortly. Indeed, very relevant. We will be posting the first set of slides from the Singapore course reporting some of the findings of the survey of telecom use on a shoestring shortly.

]]> By: goswami http://lirneasia.net/2005/09/motorola-for-sub30-handset-for-unconnected/comment-page-1/#comment-3377 goswami Wed, 28 Sep 2005 01:59:56 +0000 http://www.lirneasia.net/2005/09/motorola-for-sub30-handset-for-unconnected/#comment-3377 Ties in well with LIRNEasia's current projects <a href="http://www.lirneasia.net/projects/strategies-of-the-poor-telephone-usage/">Telecom use on a shoestring: Some findings from a study of the Financially Constrained in South Asia </a> and the <a href="http://www.lirneasia.net/projects/grameen-phones-replicability/">Grameen Telecom Microfinance Approach to Rural Telecommunications Access in Bangladesh study. </a><br /> <br /> The initial findings from the<span style="font-style: italic;"> Telecom use on a shoestring</span> study are now available as <a href="http://www.lirneasia.net/wp-content/RSAZTuesday.ppt" style="font-weight: bold;">a 43 slide powerpoint for download</a>. Please check back for papers based on this study that will be posted on this site in the near future. <br /> Also see previous posts: <a href='http://www.lirneasia.net/2005/08/nyt-article-cellphones-catapult-rural-africa-to-21st-century/'>Cell Phones and Rural Africa</a> Ties in well with LIRNEasia’s current projects Telecom use on a shoestring: Some findings from a study of the Financially Constrained in South Asia and the Grameen Telecom Microfinance Approach to Rural Telecommunications Access in Bangladesh study.

The initial findings from the Telecom use on a shoestring study are now available as a 43 slide powerpoint for download. Please check back for papers based on this study that will be posted on this site in the near future.
Also see previous posts: Cell Phones and Rural Africa

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