Mobile phones: Is that a ticket out of poverty in your pants or are you just happy to see me?

A special report on telecoms in emerging markets: : Mobile marvels | The Economist.

The third trend is the development of new phone-based services, beyond voice calls and basic text messages, which are now becoming feasible because mobile phones are relatively widely available. In rich countries most such services have revolved around trivial things like music downloads and mobile gaming. In poor countries data services such as mobile-phone-based agricultural advice, health care and money transfer could provide enormous economic and developmental benefits. Beyond that, mobile networks and low-cost computing devices are poised to offer the benefits of full internet access to people in the developing world in the coming years.

Telecoms in emerging markets: Audio report

Along with increased access to mobile phone hardware, Kenya is about to experience a major surplus (read “cheapening”) of internet access:  Kenya on the brink of internet breakthrough

Years of planning and work culminated in the activation this past summer of the Seacom and TEAMS cables, two high-powered, undersea communication lines. When a third one goes live next year, Kenya will be deluged with far more Internet capacity than anyone expects it will use for the foreseeable future.

“These cables are going to bring to Kenya and East Africa, over a pretty short period of time, an experience of using the Internet that is comparable to the United States and Europe,” said Euan Fannell, chief executive of Wananchi, another top Internet company.

Throw me an idea at:
What kind of mobile phone apps would be useful in emerging markets? – Google Moderator.