Age of traders

20 - 46 years (range)

Age of business

3 - 15 years (range)

Nature of business

Electronic shops, call box, provision store

Number of suppliers

5 - 8

Motivation for getting mobile phone

・ Communication gaps and delay in pre-trade negotiation

・ Loss of orders and Travelling risks

・ Unnecessary expenses/overhead costs

Functionalities used

・ Voice calls (66 adopters)

・ Text messaging (16 literate adopters)

・ Mobile banking services (8 literate adopters)

How mobile phone has helped

・ Access to business partners and customers

・ Timeliness in order deliveries and increase in revenue

・ Reduced transportation

Problems associated with mobile phones usage

・ Network failure and coverage

・ Cost of call tariff and Theft of phones

Types of phones used

・ Nokia: 49 (cheaper and easy to use)

・ Samsung: 11

・ Alcatel:6

・ LG: 4

・ Motorola: 9

・ Techno: 8

・ Others: 4

Number of phones owned by traders

・ 3 mobile phone on the average, though a few owned 1

・ A few assistants/workers owned 1 mobile phone

Most used network

MTN, because of wider network coverage

Monthly phone bills

5000 - 10,000 FCFA (Average)