Buzzcity got the top award for mobile networking applications at the GSMA Mobile Asia Congress held in November 2007. This blog describes how they are changing their charging structure, partially based on LIRNEasia research.
gammalife: BUILDING MOBILE COMMUNITIES
We organised a session of BuzzCity-NUS Digital Media Forum a few weeks ago with presentation by Dr. Rohan Samarajiva, who leads a regional ICT policy group called LIRNEasia. His group had a done a study across five Asian nations – India, Pakistan, The Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand – and asked people the main reason why they use a mobile phone.
The pace and style of life in The Philippines is vastly different from Sri Lanka; India and Thailand have little in common other than a taste for spicy foods. Yet across these five countries, the number one reason why people use a mobile phone is the same: to stay connected with friends and family. “Staying connected” ranks consistently ahead of doing business or delivering messages.
Powered by ScribeFire.
2 Comments
Nancy D'souza
That was indeed to be commented on as one wonderful peace of study done & also not to forget the main point that states that it describes ” how they are changing their charging structure ” – I would like to stay a word on this charging factor.
One common complaint that we as mobile networkers find is the roof hitting prices charged by service providers for accessing of social networking sites on mobiles to stay connected, here is what came up new in the US to help user’s, access to networking sites without GPRS,EDGE or Internet.
http://www.modazzle.com?channel=CM&camp=mobnetLA
Is there any possibility of something similar coming up in Asia too ????????????
samarajiva
Buzzcity/Gammalife is Asian.
Play Learn Vote: Training Community Leaders to Build Resilience Against Election Misinformation
LIRNEasia developed Play Learn Vote, an interactive educational game designed to strengthen democratic participation while building resilience against election-related misinformation. The game introduces players to Sri Lanka’s electoral process through realistic scenarios that promote critical thinking, informed decision-making, and responsible civic participation.
Request For Proposals: Sri Lanka Educational Technology Survey
LIRNEasia is inviting proposals from qualified research organisations to develop a study on Sri Lanka’s Educational Technology (EdTech) landscape. The study aims to examine the current state of EdTech adoption, innovations, and the enabling and constraining factors across Sri Lanka’s education system, while assessing how educational decision-makers perceive and use EdTech and data systems.
Protecting Children Online: What is Missing from Sri Lanka’s Proposed Bill?
In an article published in the Daily FT on 30 June 2026, Attorney-at-Law and LIRNEasia Researcher Sachini Ranasinghe examines the Private Member’s Bill proposed by Opposition MP Faiszer Musthapha, which seeks to restrict social media access for children under the age of 16 in Sri Lanka. She argues that the key question is not whether children need stronger protection online, but whether Sri Lanka is proposing the right solution and has undertaken the groundwork necessary to make such legislation effective.
Links
User Login
Themes
Social
Twitter
Facebook
RSS Feed
Contact
9A 1/1, Balcombe Place
Colombo 08
Sri Lanka
+94 (0)11 267 1160
+94 (0)11 267 5212
info [at] lirneasia [dot] net
Copyright © 2026 LIRNEasia
a regional ICT policy and regulation think tank active across the Asia Pacific