Developing Markets Are A Hot Issue At 3GSM

In what may seem like a flashback to last year's show, where the GSMA identified production of low-cost handsets for the developing world as a altruistic priority, and called the program the EMH (Emerging Market Handset) programme. However, this year's discussion is supplemented by some very promising results of last year's initiative: the programme originally planned to push sub $40 handset production to serve the new markets, but later pushed further to sub $30. Since then, Motorola alone has sold or received orders for over 12 million EMH phones. Rob Conway, CEO of the GSMA, highlighted the social, and economic benefits to the consumers, and also the positive effects on bringing a new range of people into global economies. While this may sound grandiose, we here are firm believers in the power of communications, and are inclined to agree.