Minutes as Money

Since my travels to West Africa, I've definitely been pondering the impact of mobility on not just communications but life in general. With mobile phones as the only means of two-way remote communication (unless you can afford a VSAT installation) in Liberia and the lack of financial infrastructure, I've been looking at how to leverage the mobile infrastructure to make remote banking and remote microfinance a possibility.

This blog from Om Malik discusses how minutes have become currency in some areas -- and how it has become a business for many. The article references an iAfrica.com entitled "Africa's cyber currency".

The idea of using mobiles to reach the unbanked is taking root, but my sense is we are very much at the cusp of understanding the impact, capabilities, and issues -- which is why I find it an intriguing topic for further research.

More Net Neutrality

I'm working on putting together an event to discuss/debate/argue the merits and issues surrounding Net Neutrality. As such, I'm always interested in well considered arguments as well as those that come from an emotional or political angle. It's a very touchy subject for some, and covers everything from government intervention, to oligopoly market manipulation, to business models, to competition, to politics -- from wired to wireless -- from state to global. It has many facets, so having a good understanding of all of the different elements is helpful.

Here are some recent articles I've read (and I'll inject my editorial note here):

- Political (and largely baseless): Should there be neutrality in the Net? "Because Google, Yahoo and Microsoft have promised special treatment for leftist websites and blogs if net neutrality passes."

- Wireless Net Neutrality: From Tim Wu, pushing the idea of net neutrality and open access towards mobile devices (read: cell providers). Wireless Net Neutrality: Cellular Carterfone on Mobile Networks

- Academic articles and definition: Tim Wu's work

I tend to give weight to the well researched and documented arguments rather than specious non-referenced, emotional/political arguments, but that's just me...