The next stage of development in the East African ICT Sector – the evolving Mobile Web

Following on from the impact that SMS, Voice and Mobile Money has had on the African continent the next stage of mobile technology evolution appears to be in the process of development – with the upsurge in the use of the internet and applications on mobile handsets. When the explosion in data services, which East African mobile operators, and particularly those with 3G enabled networks, are feeling the benefits of, is combined with recent research from Norwegian based mobile software developer Opera, which reported a massive 177% growth in mobile web usage in the last 12 months, as well as the BBC reporting that 45-50% of its traffic to its mobile sport and news sites comes from African countries then it would appear that there is little to debate.

However, an event, being hosted by the Kenya ICT Board in the first week of February in Nairobi, signifies that in fact this is simply the start of the evolution and that there is a great amount to learn and discuss to allow East Africa to fully utilise the opportunity that now exists. Those discussions will be focused upon how African countries, government, companies, developers and consumers can truly harness the massive potential that exists in the mobile web and applications? Google, Facebook, Twitter, the BBC, Wikipedia are all amongst the leading sites that are viewed highlighting that the transition into an information society is taking real shape. Whilst for many consumers their first taste of the mobile web may well be them updating their status on Facebook, there are real opportunities here in terms of economic and societal development.

On the 3rd & 4th February 2010 the two day conference titled “Mobile Web East Africa” will be taking place and is promising to bring together the major stakeholders in the mobile sector so that these questions can be dissected and discussed. The organisers, UK based conference company All Amber, have put together a stellar line-up of contributors and intended to combine this with an ‘interactive roundtable format’ which promises to deliver enhanced discussions and vitally outputs. Already attendance has been confirmed from over 10 different countries and the agenda is seeking to tackling all of the key areas for mobile web and applications development – monetising the opportunity, advertising and promoting through a new, focused and unique medium, developing content for a range of mobile handsets, social networking and particularly location based services, how the mobile web is being utilised by companies to offer improved (and cheaper) services, where the developmental opportunities exist in mEducation and mHealth and how Operators are taking full advantage to push ARPU up and deliver services.

As the previous sell-out Mobile Web Africa event, which was held in South Africa in late 2009, illustrated there is so much scope for the mobile web to have a positive effect on all facets of society. That spells not only an opportunity for budding entrepreneurs but also in the not-for-profit and public sectors as well. The mobile web offers the opportunity for any user to find information, share knowledge and interact, but the services need to be available for that to become a reality. An exceptionally good example of a Kenyan based company which has really taken advantage of this potential is the Symbiotic Media Consortium, who are successfully delivering a range of services and products to the benefit of the mobile consumer.

In Africa, where the mobile phone is the number one technology of choice, the sheer range of cultures, languages and communities means that the provision of focused services and content is vitally important otherwise, and there is a similarity here with the increase in channels and programmes soon to become available with the switch to digital broadcasting, a danger exists that the vast majority of content will be non-specific and imported. Imagine the young student, farmer, mother all having the ultimate information resource available to them through their mobile phone?

That is why an event like Mobile Web East Africa is so important for the region, as it signifies the next step forward - an individual’s phone was initially used to communicate, then to transfer money, now it can also be used as a personal computer, allowing access to the greatest information resource anyone has ever had available to them – the internet. Recent research shows that consumers are already appreciating the benefits of the mobile web, the big question is how the Private, Public and Not-for-profit sectors can also turn it to their advantage.

Kabissa is a media partner for this event. For more details and to register, contact Matthew Dawes at matthew@allamber.com or visit the event website at http://www.mobileeastafrica.com