Q&A with Ashoka-Lemelson Fellow Mathias Craig
We asked Mathias Craig of Blue Energy some questions about mobile technology adoption. Here are his answers. Through his organization, Mathias works to extend access to electricity to rural communities. See Mathias's full Ashoka profile here.
ASHOKA: What are some of the obstacles to mobile phone access and adoption of mobile innovations?
MATHIAS: In our areas the most pressing needs are access to mobile networks. Most of the communities are isolated and do not have cell coverage. In my mind, we need to develop a strategy to pressure or entice the cell phone company to expand its coverage to these communities based on our commitment to develop the energy source to charge the phones.
Other than the obstacles you mention, I can’t think of any other real road blocks. In communities we have worked in to electrify that had cell phone coverage, mobile use increased dramatically.
ASHOKA: What has the most potential in the mobile phone ecosystem to create even more positive outcomes in economic development?
MATHIAS: Reduction in cost of multi-media phones like the iphone for content rich sharing by people who are not literate. The ability to deliver video recorded messages for example. From our perspective, again, the main limitation is in the physical network itself. Innovations that enable existing towers to broadcast and receive over greater distances or other improvements that drive down the cost of the repeater towers would enable isolated communities to get connected. This would revolutionize the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua.
ASHOKA: What hypothetical invention or a new technique to solve one of the challenges that you think is most pressing in the field of mobile tech?
MATHIAS: I would invent a phone that could use traditional cell phone signal or alternatively short-wave radio signals to send short text messages hundred of miles. This would allow basic communication even when far from the formal network. This address connectivity issues in remote communities.
I would also invent a phone that picks up radio broadcasts so that community members could use it to listen to their favorite radio stations, which is there main cultural link to the “outside” world.
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