Want visible proof that modern living is different from just ten years ago? Look no further than the advancements in the cell phone. From just a select few, now everyone can own one. There are a variety of plans and standalones that make them inexpensive and affordable to operate. The number of individual telephone numbers now compared to ten years ago has more than doubled. Cell phone ownership outranks ownership of cars or TVs. In the USA and Canada alone, it is estimated that phone penetration is 75%. In Europe, the figure is higher, at 140%. At the end of 2008, fully half of the world’s population were cell phone subscribers.
According to some sources, Africa is experiencing the greatest growth in cell phone usage. In fact, an increase of 100% usage yearly has been reported in some countries. A recent study conducted by Vodafone found that many Africans associated cell phone use with better business success. Cell phones allow these business owners a way to communicate with the outside world in the absence or unreliability of landlines. Africa is not the only place experiencing growth in cell phone usage - many other developing societies are adopting cell phones, and those who use them already are steadily growing in their usage. In fact, heavily populated countries, such as China and India, have staggering numbers of new cell service subscribers - more each month than the entire population of some European countries.
The world is in love with cell phones today. Some people use them as extensions of their own personalities or identities. People like to customize their phone to their preferences, which has greatly helped the cell phone industry. Ring tone companies are making out well also.
Cell phones are the most replaced of all technolgies. Consumers generally get a new cell phone every 18 months. Cell phones are easily broken but it doesn’t change the factor that people like newer phones. People generally grow old of their phone and want to upgrade to a newer model that has better capabilities. People change their phones more frequently than ever.
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Who owns a cell phone is becoming less and less associated with class and income. Whether a person is rich or poor no longer is an indication of whether they are in possession of a cell phone. There have been reports of the world’s most disenfranchised people owning cell phones even if they own little else. In America there are many instances of homeless people owning cell phones and around the world even people deemed to be victims of famine, own perfectly functioning cell phones.
Network companies are competing with each other by offering cheaper tariffs and many offer free talk time and text message holidays. The second hand market has also made the availability the cheap cell phone a reality for millions of subscribers around the world that owning a cell phone is becoming cheaper and cheaper with each passing year. Handsets are seeing a reduction in prices with a new one today costing about half what it did 10 years ago.
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