Serving the poor by marketing information, Developing a sustainable village phone model in Bangladesh

Shahriar Akter, University of Wollongong
Jay Rajasekera, International University of Japan
Mahfuzur Rahman, Leeds Metropolitan University

Abstract

Wireless technologies have created an unprecedented opportunity for rural customers in the developing world to solve their communication and information problems in an instantaneous, interactive and customised way. The framework of the study focuses on existing mobile village phone model in Bangladesh and suggests ways to make it sustainable through mobile information services marketing. The study has treated ‘village phone’ as a cost effective and interactive channel through which various information services can be marketed to serve customers in the rural settings.