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The Synergies Between Mobile Phone Access and Off Grid Energy Solutions

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Book cover Decentralized Solutions for Developing Economies

Part of the book series: Springer Proceedings in Energy ((SPE))

Abstract

Mobile connectivity has grown beyond the electricity grid in most emerging markets: the slow growth of grid access over the last 10 years compared to the rapid expansion of mobile networks has widened the existing gap between access to mobile and access to electricity. The GSMA estimates that this gap is equivalent to more than 643 million people covered by mobile networks without access to electricity, representing up to 53 % of the global off grid population. According to five mobile channels, namely the off grid telecom tower infrastructure, mobile operators distribution networks, machine to machine connectivity, mobile payments and mobile services, the mobile industry offers innovative pathways to achieve reliable energy access for currently underserved communities.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    GSMAi 2013 on the number of Unique Subscribers.

  2. 2.

    According to the electrification rate in 2012 from the International Energy Agency.

  3. 3.

    GSMA Green Power for Mobile.

  4. 4.

    The Total Cost of Ownership of a mobile handset refers to the amount a mobile user has to spend per month to own and use a mobile handset. This include the price of the mobile handset and an average use of mobile services (voice, SMS, data).

  5. 5.

    Source Nokia from GSMA MDI website: https://mobiledevelopmentintelligence.com/statistics/70-monthly-total-cost-of-ownership-usd#.

  6. 6.

    Information collected from several Energy Service Companies providing Energy Pay As You Go solutions.

References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. GSMA, Mobile Enabled Community Services (MECS), London, UK

    Michael Nique & Helene Smertnik

Authors
  1. Michael Nique
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  2. Helene Smertnik
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Nique .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. ZTG Sekr. HBS1, Technische Universität Berlin Microenergy Systems Research Group, Berlin, Germany

    Sebastian Groh

  2. ZTG Sekr. HBS1, Technische Universität Berlin Microenergy Systems Research Group, Berlin, Germany

    Jonas van der Straeten

  3. ZTG Sekr. HBS1, Technische Universität Berlin Microenergy Systems Research Group, Berlin, Germany

    Brian Edlefsen Lasch

  4. University of California Berkeley Rural Energy Group, Berkeley, California, USA

    Dimitry Gershenson

  5. Faculty of Life Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Science, Hamburg, Germany

    Walter Leal Filho

  6. Class of 135 Distinguished, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA

    Daniel M. Kammen

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© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Nique, M., Smertnik, H. (2015). The Synergies Between Mobile Phone Access and Off Grid Energy Solutions. In: Groh, S., van der Straeten, J., Edlefsen Lasch, B., Gershenson, D., Leal Filho, W., Kammen, D. (eds) Decentralized Solutions for Developing Economies. Springer Proceedings in Energy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15964-5_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15964-5_17

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-15963-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-15964-5

  • eBook Packages: EnergyEnergy (R0)

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