Emergence of Mobile Phones in China

Heather KingCOM546

Timeline

199

73rd largest mobileNetwork.

10 Million1

998

20 Million(24.98 by EOY)

Largest mobile network in the world!

Aug

ust

8 months!

206 Million

Dec

emb

er2

0021

994

Digital mobile phone networkintroduced

3.63 Million

43 Million

199

9

368 Million

200

5198

7

Analog mobile phone networkintroduced

136 Million

Oct

ober

200

1

Su

bscr

ibe

rs

Dec

emb

er

WTO

200

3

SARS & SMS

Supervening Necessity

• Migration to cities– Need to stay in touch with family.

• Economic state of China– Need to spark economic growth.

• WTO– Introduced competition.

• SARS– Need to share information.

WTO

• Introduced foreign trade into marketplace.

• Domestic companies produce reliable phones with basic functionality.

• Foreign companies taking lead by introducing advanced features.

SMS

• Introduced in 2000

• Used in 2003 to spread SARS information

• Usage exploded in 2003 following

Cell Phone User Population

• Total Population: 1,306,313,812 (July 2005 est.) (CIA)

• Cell Phone Users:350 Million (June 2005 est.) (MSNBC)

• Percent of Total Population:

27%

Individuals with Needs

• Basic Needs– Safety, Business & Personal Communication, scheduling.

• Advanced Features– NEC Telecom N940: Special antenna allows people to

watch TV programs for free, totaling 56 channels, without affecting the calls and short messages etc.

• Social Expression– MP280: Releases a fragrance when the user opens the

phone.– Decorate with stickers, trinkets and flashing lights.

Culture & Religion

• Many people have their phones blessed.

• Fortunes and prayers received throughout the day via SMS.

• Burn paper phones (and other items) to be sure the dead are taken care of.

“It's religion shaping technology, shaping religion.” Genevieve Bell

“They can't imagine being dead without them, let alone alive without them.”

Sadie Plant

Security & Regulations• SMS scams

– $125 K per month.• Jamming Devices

– Creating liabilities.

• Personal Space– Not as much an issue in China.

• With no strong need for stiff governmental regulation society is left to create rules.

Future?

• Advanced features.

• Personalization.

• Domestic companies upgrading devices.

• Increased coverage in rural areas.

• Decrease in digital divide.