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2007 January/February Issue
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Going Global
Cell Phones Transform Indian Fishermen into Businessmen
 The millions of fishermen who harvest India's 4,350 miles of coastline may still use ancient fishing techniques but their business technique is far from traditional. Cell phones have improved the lives of India's fishermen. Cell phone use in India has grown from 1.6 million subscribers in 2000 to more than 125 million today. It continues to grow at a rate of six million new subscribers per month. Cell phones let fishermen negotiate the best possible prices for their catch with several onshore wholesalers as they pull in their nets. Before they had to wait until they brought the boat back in and had to quickly sell the un-iced fish before it spoiled. Cell phones also provide inexpensive communications between the boats so that fisherman can tell each other where the best fishing is that day and notify others about weather changes or emergencies. The increased bargaining power and reduced waste has, on average, tripled their income since 2000.
Global Mobile Internet Access
U.S. dominance of Internet content could change in the next year or so. And not surprisingly, the successor may be China. According to comScore Networks, of the top 30 most-visited websites, four are based out of Asia, one from Europe and the rest are in the U.S. Even the sole European site (Lycos) is part American. But with more people in Asia and Europe accessing the Internet from mobile phones, it's likely the sites soon will change. comScore tracked mobile Internet access in six European countries in September 2006 and found penetration rates of 34 percent for Germany and Italy, 28 percent in France, 26 percent in Spain, 24 percent in Britain and 19 percent in the U.S. The survey did not track any Asian countries but comScore predicts that with China's dramatic economic growth, visitors to Chinese content sites soon will surpass those of the U.S.
Chinese/U.S. Standards Collaboration
StandardsPortal.org is the new home for more than 2,000 U.S. and Chinese standards as well as nearly 300,000 international standards and guidelines. Developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Standardization Administration of China, the site provides a database of standards as well as related regulatory and product safety information in both Mandarin and English. The goal of the website is to increase product safety and standardization and reduce product recalls.
Vietnam's Exports to Surge this Year
The Vietnam Trade Ministry reported a surge in electronics exports during 2006. With earnings estimated at $1.8 billion and exports to more than 30 overseas markets, the future looks bright for Vietnam's electronics manufacturers. The Trade Information Center of the Ministry claims the growth comes from promotional efforts, including organizing and attending international trade fairs and exhibitions and conducting market surveys.
Transmitter Puts Iraqi Women's Radio Station Back on the Air
Radio Al-Mahaba, or "the Voice of Women" Radio Station in Baghdad, Iraq, was silenced when its transmitter was destroyed by a nearby bomb explosion in October 2005. After limping by with an unreliable and under-powered rented transmitter, Harris Corp.'s donation of a 5 kW, solid-state FM transmitter means the "Voice" again will be heard by women across Iraq's isolated rural villages. Women now make up roughly 60 percent of Iraq's population. With only 24 percent of these women literate, the radio is the most effective way to communicate. Al-Mahaba is an independent, non-governmental, non-religious radio station that encourages audience members to call in and features commentators and guests to help educate listeners about women's rights. Satellite Sisters, a U.S. women's radio station, launched a campaign to raise $100,000 to help keep Radio Al-Mahaba running. For information, visit www.satellitesisters.com. V
By Carolyn Slater
January/February 2007
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