Evolution of Cell Phones in India

The means of communication was revolutionized in the past century, a result of unprecedented progress in Science and Technology. What started as a support system for US army to communicate ultimately became a way of life for millions across the world. The emergence of mobile phones is indeed fascinating and the current post deals with its development in a fascinating country called India.

The mobile operations for general public began in mid 90s in India, though it was a luxury of the rich only. The reasons were several. The call rate was very high, the sets were expensive. There were fewer service providers which operated only in big metros. Another important reason was that our country was in a state of transition. After the post independence failure of the socialist model, the country had just opened up its economy and its middle class, who form the bulk of consumers in any country, were yet to rise.

By the turn of the new millennium, the change was visible. With the growth rate shooting high, we were experiencing a new change in our lives. The bourgeois class had finally made its present felt in the country with all sorts of consumer goods taking a leap in sales. The sales of cell phones also started rising as it began to make its presence felt among the new confident Indians who entered the new century with high ambition. Since there was charge on incoming calls, cell phones were mainly used by those who had business related to it. Although the status symbol that it represented were diluting day by day.

One hot morning the news came that the incoming calls were made free by the government. I remember it was the summer of 2003, when I had first landed up in Delhi after my schooling. It was the turning point for cell phones in India as it was embraced by the masses, whether they actually required it or not was not a question to be asked. Since then there have been rapid development in the mobile phone industry. With low call rates and reduction of handset prices, it became affordable to any average man who comfortably earned his living.

The major reason for the cellular boom in India was its economic progress. We can’t deny the power of money but it was not the sole reason. In his book The Elephant, the Tiger and the Cell phone, Shashi Tharoor puts forth a different point. During the BSNL monopoly, one had to wait for long, even 8 years in some cases, to get a connection. The author believes that whoever possesses cell phones today are among those who don’t have the knack to wait for those many years to get a connection.

Another major reason was the lack of connectivity in rural India. Many villages don’t have electricity. Cell phones came as a surprise as well as a boon for them who even don’t have access to decent roads to commute.

If economic boom has enabled people to buy cell phones, the latter have also made people lead better lives. Many small businessman, artisans and workers have really benefitted with cell phones and there are plenty of examples all around us. The one that amazes me the most is my cook. She is a single mother and runs small business apart from cooking for us. Every day when I open the door for her I find her listening to FM on her phone. A decade ago, it would have been a wild fantasy.

Today, cell phones have become a way of life. From the dhobi alas to corporate honchos, everyone uses it. Some use for their business, some to gossip, and some just to make style statements, the truth is that cell phones have become an intrinsic way of life. Few years down the line it would be unimaginable a life without cell phones. Coming to facts, India has over 100 million users and almost 8 million add every month making it the second largest cell phone market in the world after China.