MIT Research Fellow: Cell Phones Touted as Economic Resource for the Poor
Citing strong evidence that cell phones play a critical role in the economic prospects of low-income Americans, a research fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in association with a Washington think tank, reports that wider cell phone use could lead to income gains for the poor from $2.9 billion to $11 billion annually by simply allowing the poorest American households to be in touch with potential employers and other job resources.
March 29th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Sir,
I am the author of the report you cite here. I want to mke it clear that this is NOT an MIT report in any way, shape or form. I am a visiting scholar (not “research fellow”) at MIT, but the work is an outgrowth of my book, “You Can Hear Mme Now.”
Is it possible to change the heading et al to make this more accurate? You can also see my bio at www.youcanhearmenow.com (About Author).
Best
Nick
617-899-0373
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Cell phone ownership and usage is severely overrated in this country. Access to technology such as computers is more advantageous for people in lower socio-economic groups. I would not dispute the fact that having access to a telephone, whether cellular or landline, is a necessity. However, cell phones in particular are not necessarily a solution to improving one’s economic status, except in lesser-developed countries.