Cell Usage

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Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township SchoolTino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town

AssessingCell Phone Usagein a South AfricanTownship School

Tino KreutzerUniversity of Cape Town

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The rise of the cell phone

the demise of the computer?

300 million active connections in Africa,up to 70% usage in South Africa

Extreme growth among black population in SA, computerownership remains low

Advantages over traditional computers: Low infrastructure costs

Mobile Prepaid

No reliable data on cell phone usage in SA

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The South African case

Millions of MXit users (mobile instant messaging) growing societalconcern

Strong inequalities among between social and racial groups

Cell phone use among16-19-year-olds:

.

1 .

2 .

.

4 .

5 .

6 .

.

8 .

9 .

1 .

Total Black Coloured Indian White

Source: AMPS 007

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The South African case

Extreme inequalities among racial groups for Internet usage according tohousehold surveys

Unreliable data?

Internet used among16-19-year-olds

1

1

Total Black Coloure d Indian White

yesterday

past 12m

Source:AMPS 2007

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Rationale for study

Pilot quantitative approach and specificquestionnaire design in an urban extreme

case high school Use experiences gained for a larger studyfocusing on cell phone Internet usageamong South African youth

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Research Questions

What are the current cell phone usageand ownership patterns among youth

at a South African township school?

What is the potential for using cellphones in education at this school?

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Methodology

1 secondary school in Samora Machel

grade 11 classes

66 students 3 questions paper/pencil questionnaires

administered by researcher

03 variables

Closed-ended, open ended, Likert scalesquestions

Aggregates calculated from several variables

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Demographics

100% isiXhosa

Average age 17 9

0% planning to pursue further education

9 % walk to school

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Cell phone ownership

100% use, but only 7 % own a cell phone

Non-owners used better handsets

Wide range from very basic (e g Nokia1100) to very advanced phones (e gMotorola Razr)

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Cell phone featuresFeatures available on the phone used or owned

Yes

send and receive text messages 89.1%

play games 86.7%

take pictures 67.2%

play music or MP3 files 66.1%play videos 60.0%

record videos 59.7%

access the internet or websites 50.8%

send and receive email 45.9%

send instant messages (MXit, noknok, etc) 41.7%

receive Radio programmes 32.8%

receive TV programmes 24.6%

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Cell phone features (detailed)

With your cell phone, is itpossible to... All respondents Cell owners (A) Non-owners (B) Difference

N % yes N % yes N % yes B-A

send and receive text messages 57 89.10% 9 0% 11 60% - 0%

play games 52 86.70% 0 10% 11 100 00% 14.90%

take pictures 41 67.20% 33 6 0% 6 0% -14.30%

play music or MP3 files 41 66.10% 3 6 30% 7 70% 7 0%

play videos 36 60.00% 9 60% 7 63 60% 00%

record videos 37 59.70% 9 9 0% 7 63 60% 0%

access the internet or websites 31 50.80% 10% 6 0% 0%

send and receive email 28 45.90% 0 1 70% 7 63 60% 21.90%

send instant messages 25 41.70% 19 39 60% 6 60 00% 20.40%

receive Radio programmes 20 32.80% 1 31 30% 0% 14.20%

receive TV programmes 15 24.60% 1 00% 3 7 30% 30%

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Cell phone features

Importantfeatures(selection)

Advancedapplicationsare veryimportant

If you had to buy a new phone today, how important are the

following factors to you?

Mean Dont know

to be able to take pictures or

videos1 3 0%

to be able to go online 1 %

to be able to play music 1 0%

to have fast internet

(3G or HSDPA)1 9%

a big display 1 00 3 3%

small size or light weight 9 0%

that it has a low price 67 3 6%

Respondents were given a Likert scale ranging from (very important) to - (not important at all)

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Usage macro factors

6% use MTN network

Natl average black 16-19: %*

96% prepaid

Natl average black 19: 99%*

Weekly expenditure R30 (~ $ )

High compared to national averages of racial groupsin the same age bracket (next slide)

*AMPS ( 007)

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All Media Product Survey

Based on cell phone users, 16-19 years

Presentsurvey

Average Cellphone ExpenditurePer Month by Race Black Coloured Indian White -

Less Than R50 59 9% 6 0% 1% 1 9% 25.9%

R51-R89 16 7% 16 0% 15.6% 18.4% 24.1%

R90-R110 9.0% 14.3% 1 .9% 16.0% 1.7%

R111-R1 5 3.3% 6.6% 4.6% 5.8% 3.4%

R1 6-R150 .9% 6.9% 10.9% 14.2% 17.2%

R151-R200 2.0% 3.0% 10.3% 12.0% 6.9%

R201-R270 0.7% 2.7% 6.6% 7.7% 8.6%

R271-R500 1.0% 3.9% 7.2% 7.0% 6.9%

R501-R650 0.1% 0.1% 1.7% 0.8% 1.7%

R651-R750 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.1% 0.0%

R751-R950 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.7% 0.0%

R951-R1150 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.8% 0.0%

More Than R1150 0.2% 0.2% 1.4% 0.7% 0.0%

Don't Buy Airtime,Receive Call 3.3% 0.2% 0.0% 0.4% 3.4%

N unknown 63

AMPS

(2007)

Kreutzer

(2008)

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Usage macro factors

Who pays for your airtime or for your cell phone contract?

Count % female male

myself 36 59.0% 47.2% 67.9%

my parents 25 41.0% 36.1% 39.3%

my family other than my parents 15 24.6% 22.2% 25.0%

boyfriend or girlfriend 6 9.8% 5.6% 10.7%

n=64 - Based on all respondents except those with no airtime expenditures.Note: Table exceeds 100% due to multiple responses

Stronger male financial independence? But: Girls were found to spend slightly more than boys Findings show many statistically significant differences between

genders but qualitative follow-up research necessary

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Usage micro factors

Four major categories of using cell phones

Personal/traditional communication

Entertainment Mobile instant messaging

Internet

Usage determined by cell phone, but oftenmore than one phone is available

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Personal communication

Personal Communication Variables ever yesterday

Count all % female %

male

% Count all %

female

% male %

difference

m-f

send a text message 65 98.5% 97.2% 100.0% 43 65.2% 55.6% 75.0% 19.4%

make a phone call 64 97.0% 94.4% 100.0% 41 62.1% 58.3% 67.9% 9.6%

please call me 58 90.6% 94.1% 85.7% 35 53.0% 58.3% 46.4% -11.9%

give a missed call to other people 53 86.9% 90.9% 81.5% 21 31.8% 33.3% 32.1% -1.2%

any personal communication 66 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 60 90.9% 86.0% 96.4% 10.4%

n=66, male n=28, female n=36

Boys more frequent users of text messages andphone calls

Girls more frequent in sending free please callme messages or giving missed calls

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Entertainment

Entertainment variables ever yesterday

Count all %

female%

male%

difference

m-fCoun

t all %female

%male

%

difference m-

f

play games 61 92.4% 100.0% 85.7% -14.3% 35 53.0% 61.1% 46.4% -14.7%

take a picture 55 83.3% 77.8% 92.9% 15.1% 37 56.1% 47.2% 67.9% 20.7%

play music 54 81.8% 55.6% 50.0% -5.6% 29 43.9% 8.3% 21.4% 13.1%

record a video 50 75.8% 72.2% 82.1% 9.9% 31 47.0% 38.9% 57.1% 18.2%

play video 41 62.1% 55.6% 53.6% -2.0% 18 27.3% 13.9% 21.4% 7.5%

n=66, male n=28, femalen=36

Playing games is extremely popular, especiallyamong girls

Picture taking most popular among boys

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Mobile instant messaging (MIM)

Instant Messagingclients ever yesterday

Count all %female

%male

%difference

m-f Count all %female

%male

%difference

m-f

noknok 35 53.0% 47.2% 60.7% 13.5% 11 16.7% 5.6% 28.6% 23.0%

MXit 32 48.5% 44.4% 53.6% 9.2% 19 28.8% 19.4% 42.9% 23.5%

mp 13 19.7% 16.7% 25.0% 8.3% 6 9.1% 8.3% 10.7% 2.4%

2go 8 12.1% 8.3% 17.9% 9.6% 3 4.5% 2.8% 7.1% 4.3%

(aggregate) any IMused 53 80.3% 72.2% 92.8% 20.6% 31 47.0% 27.7% 71.4% 43.7%

n=66, female n=36, male n=28

MIM is a cheap alternative to traditional cell phone communicationand half of all respondents use it on a typical day

MXit most popular MIM client, but closely followed by MTNs noknok Strong male dominance

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Mobile instant messaging (contd)

MXit activities

ever yesterday

Coun

t all %

female

%

male

% diff . m-f

Coun

t all %

female

%

male

% diff . m-f

talk to people I know 33 50.0% 50.0% 53.6% 3.6% 13 19.7% 16.7% 25.0% 8.3%

talk to people I haven't met inperson 25 37.9% 36.1% 42.9% 6.8% 15 22.7% 13.9% 35.7% 21.8%

access other MXit services 18 27.3% 22.2% 35.7% 13.5% 11 16.7% 13.9% 21.4% 7.5%

n=66, male n=28, female n=36

High male retention rate: most boys who have used MIM once arestill using it on a typical day

45% of respondents use MIM for less than 30 minutes per day

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Internet and Web usage

97% have used Internet from a cell phone(via GPRS/WAP/MIM/etc)

83% use the Internet on a typical day

Heavy usage of Web (47% on a typicalday)

Follow-up research will determine more

detailed usage patterns of exact websites etc

For subcategories see next slide

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Internet and Web usageever yesterday

all % female % male % m-f all % female % male % m-f

(aggregate) any Internet use 97.0% 97.2% 100.0% 2.8% 83.1% 80.6% 89.3% 8.7%

(aggregate) any website 91.0% 88.9% 96.4% 7.5% 71.1% 69.4% 75.0% 5.6%

(aggregate) any IM applications used 80.3% 72.2% 92.8% 20.6% 47% 27.7% 71.4% 43.7%

get news or weather online 80.3% 63.9% 60.7% -3.2% 40.9% 19.4% 21.4% 2.0%

download songs, videos or ringtones 87.9% 77.8% 89.3% 11.5% 40.9% 41.7% 50.0% 8.3%

go online for no particular reason 62.1% 66.7% 60.7% -6.0% 30.3% 25.0% 32.1% 7.1%

send and receive email 62.1% 58.3% 60.7% 2.4% 25.8% 11.1% 14.3% 3.2%

information about a hobby or interest 59.1% 86.1% 92.9% 6.8% 24.2% 38.9% 46.4% 7.5%

hunt for a particular fact 57.6% 61.1% 57.1% -4.0% 21.2% 22.2% 21.4% -0.8%

use an instant messaging client 60.6% 77.8% 85.7% 7.9% 19.7% 36.1% 50.0% 13.9%

look for health or medical information 54.5% 55.6% 64.3% 8.7% 16.7% 16.7% 32.1% 15.4%

information about movies, books or other leisure activities 50.0% 69.4% 57.1% -12.3% 16.7% 27.8% 25.0% -2.8%

information on further education 53.0% 63.9% 64.3% 0.4% 13.6% 33.3% 28.6% -4.7%

look for information for school 59.1% 52.8% 50.0% -2.8% 12.1% 16.7% 17.9% 1.2%

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Outlook

Quantitative data in U.S. (Pew Research) showsthat minorities are more likely to use cell phonesto go online similar patterns emerging in SA?

Follow-up study (August/September2008) willuse larger sample for quantitative research butalso qualitative interviews and participant logbooks to track detailed Web usage

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Contact

tino.kreutzer @ gmail.com

Cell Usage

Documents

Transcript of Cell Usage