Mobile Communications of the Needy/Poor: Comparative European Macro-Data on Mobile Communications for the Needy/Poor, 'Social Mobile Tariffs', and the 'Mobile Communications Divide'

Abstract

Some COST 605 Action participating countries have contributed to a survey on the above subject. The focus is on: 1) social parameters , demographics / employment:/income of needy/poor people, and for measured or assumed mobile service usage and spending 2) cases of individual or groups of needy people’s as to mobile communications usage and spending (from individuals or secondary contacts ) A survey and analysis was carried out on mobile communications of the poor and needy, with data collected so far across 5 EU countries (France, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom, Denmark); please note that definitions are not always identical and that collection methods and sources may be inconsistent ; note also that in general the data are from many different sources thus not always with same year or basis . Some data were collected on the basis of field surveys and are not found in other sources. Monetary unit is Euros for calibration purposes (except UK). The goal of the survey is to establish the basis for the establishment of wireless tariff bundles made affordable to the needy and subsidized or not by operators and/or regulators (using revenue from universal service obligation laws, where applicable). Another goal is to help European regulator and the Commission prepare for directives with the same goal across the EU. As the ubiquity of wireless communications has a high social value and impact, this study is justified beyond general analyses of universal access to broadband services.