Strategies Towards Universal Smartphone Access Report Broadband Commission Working Group

The Working Group included representatives from: America Móvil; the government of Benin; the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN; the government of Ghana; the GSMA; the International Trade Centre; Intelsat; the International Science Technology and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation; Millicom; Smart Africa; ZTE; and the World Wide Web Foundation. [...] This study aims to evaluate their importance and make recommendations of priority actions – to drive real progress in the area of smartphone access and tackling the digital divide. [...] The cost of a smartphone can exceed 70% of the average monthly income of people living in low income countries. [...] Available studies show that technical and financial literacy contribute to consumer confidence in owning and using smartphones in emerging markets and the lack of content in local language, with local context, presents another challenge to overcoming operative difficulties. [...] identify partners willing to finance the large investments required for device subsidy and ask governments to consider the development and coordination of national device and connectivity subsidy programmes in collaboration with other partners; b.