Harnessing Africa’s Digital FutureMobile Media and Business models

Mobile in Africa’s A25 Fastest growing mobile market: 2nd Mobile ends digital divide A25=91% of continent’s mobile users Liberalisation of Telecoms= MNO dev 5 million employees Highly competitive market

60% price drops in some markets Cheap phones= low entry level Roll out of infrastructure

Application of modern technologies= growth of African economies

M- Impact M-Agri

65% sub Saharan pop- subsistence farming Vital Agri –information: Weather, diseases Training and Advice: Farming practices Market related info

M-Learning Facilitate education & learning to remote areas Cost of education +language & social barriers On job training to professionals: Health care modules

Download from central database

M-Impact M- Banking

M-Pesa by Safaricom, e-wallet Financial services to low income groups Access to insurance, pension Increase of bankers = stability in low income groups

M-Health Data for disease surveillance Remote diagnosis via telemedicine Gathering and managing health info 4 Professionals Coordinating medical drug distribution

M-ecosystem- Value Chain

Infrastructure & support

Network Operators

Handset DevicesDistribution

Content & services

Contribution to M-ecosystem

How will the Content and Services sector increase contribution??

Mobile Users

Generation X Digital Immigrants: technology when supports lifestyle needs Produce and share digital content

Generation Y 18- 28 could be younger in some states Digital natives: access, familiarity & digital fluency Produce and share digital content Behavioural changes: globalization, focus on experience,

individualisation Key to future growth

Analogue

Africa’s Digital Natives 43% of population under 25, & growing 2nd to asia Mobile in Africa dominated by mobile PHONES Changes in consumption patterns They want:

Speed, multitask, graphics, random access-hypertext, networked, Greater control over lifestyle choices & desire to belong Little or no patience- short attention span Consumption driven by ‘digital instant gratification’ Interactivity Prosumers

Formats: Broadsheets suck Relevance: Youth editorial advisory boards Make it: Quick, Newsy & Useful

Monetizing Mobile

Traditional models obsolete- can’t all be imported onto new platforms

Laws and regulations: Media operates across jurisdictions ICT Development agenda policies

Main techniques: advertising and subscription Mobile Marketing- calls, txt, mms, sms, splash Subs: Cell phone users accustomed to paying

Simple adaption: e-versions or m-versions- but low end phones?

Digital media measurement: formulating and revising strategies Cultivation of exclusivity: innovative & diverse content ‘Freemium’: Charge for some, have ‘benefits” , rewards Content & Apps Info products, location based products Media: Content organising experts

UCT study

Mobile Content Services Users

Some of the Dialogues...

Bandwidth

Undersea cables might increase availabilityNeed to free up spectrum from 2G, 3GTerrestrial most expensive part

Innovation

Problem? Energy

2009- Kenya Low end solar powered mobile phone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aBi7X2L8hc

The rest of the M-ecosystem is already repositioning itself...

Media need to get involved!

Thank you