Special Issue of info – Call for Papers
William Melody and Amy Mahan will guest edit a special issue of info - the journal of policy, regulation and strategy for telecommunications, information and media on Network Development: Wireless Applications for the Next Billion New Users. This special issue focused on wireless applications for the next billion users will examine priority issues relating to the extension of ICT infrastructure to the world’s unconnected poor, with particular reference to the design of innovative strategies for network development. The guest editors welcome the submission of draft material or work in progress based on current or recently completed research for possible publication in this special issue.
Deadline for submission: Monday, 4 August 2008.
See article submission details below.
Mobile telephony has brought first line access to the information society to much of the developing world. But beyond mobile handsets for voice, most information society services have yet to be realized, and there are still billions of people without any access. Both the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Targets are focused on 2015 for achieving poverty alleviation and connectivity for the poorest of the world’s poor.
The next stage extension of global network development is being supported by new wireless technologies and a better understanding of the economic, social and cultural circumstances of the unserved and minimally served poor. But it is also being restrained by many market structures, policies and regulations based on obsolete historical models of service provisioning. New market models and proactive regulation will be required as the next billion users are poorer and more difficult to reach for a variety of reasons - geographic, social and economic.
Network development must increasingly (and urgently) be informed by a better understanding of how the poor value and use communication technologies. The research community has begun to give greater priority to these issues, often revealing counter-intuitive results. For example, recent research in the LIRNE network has provided new explanations about the price elasticity for communications use at the bottom of the pyramid as well as the usage patterns of the poor. It is now documented that low income users typically spend a higher proportion of their income on communications.
This special issue of new wireless applications for the next billion users will examine priority issues relating to the extension of ICT infrastructure to the world’s unconnected poor, with particular reference to the design of innovative strategies for network development. Given the opportunities provided by new and emerging wireless technologies, and the rapid erosion of the relevance of traditional service and product models, creativity in the design and implementation of connectivity solutions is needed. This special issue intends to highlight current research on innovative strategies for the next stage of network development.
The guest editors welcome the submission of draft material or work in progress based on current or recently completed research for possible publication in this special issue. Research published in this special issue will be subject to the info review process in addition to review and editing by the guest editors.
Illustrative topics that will be considered include, but are in no way limited to the following:
- Measuring mobile penetration, defining mobile users
- Pro-poor mobile applications and services
- Services for the financially constrained and developed economy services: a comparative assessment of demand and uptake
- M-banking services for the unbanked
- SME mobile use in developing economies
- Emerging technologies for reducing costs of network development
- Impact of national regulation on excluded communities or minorities
- Regulation for promoting innovation and alternative network development
- Mobile broadband, telephony usage patterns and poverty
- Emerging technologies, markets and new business models
- Developing country case studies of mobile diffusion
- Mobile telephony - access path to the Internet
- Universal access policies and mobile and wireless technologies
- Mobile telephony and economic development
Click here for journal guidelines for authors.
Contact: mahan [at] lirne.net
Submission Synopsis
Submission of draft material or work in progress (should be near completion): Monday, 4 August 2008
Length:
Full length papers: 4,000-6000 words
Viewpoints: 2,000-3,000 words
To be sent to: mahan [at] lirne.net
Notification of acceptance for review: Monday 1 September 2008
Referee comments delivered by: Friday 3 0ctober 2008
Final versions to be submitted by: Monday 10 November 2008
Publication: March 2009
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April 3rd, 2008 at 09:03
Dear sir
I search about rural ICT in IRAN . My master thesis is ” Impact factors in acceptnce and application rural ICT ” . May I send a paper about problems in exitting rural ICT in IRAN ?
BEST REGARD
aREZOO Habibi
April 8th, 2008 at 19:56
Thank you for your interest in our website and the special issue of info.
The editors will review all serious submissions which conform to the journal and special issue guidelines, especially in terms of theme, length and scholarly treatment of the subject matter.