The Future Mobile Global Internet: Context Is Everything For Emerging Telecommunications Brands

I have been receiving emails for a few weeks now from internetserviceproviders.org asking me to look at their infographics for potential sharing on my blog. In this case, the relentless communication has paid off.

I thought this particular graphic, rife with statistics (some dated, and some perhaps questionable, but still thought-provoking) was interesting. I have a friend who is currently working in the telecommunication’s field, doing ethnographic projects exploring emerging markets in Latin America and Africa.

I think it will be interesting to dig deep into the context of interpersonal communication and the role of the internet / mobile internet in socialization, education, business and other aspects of life. The numbers promise the potential of some great deep culture / surface culture stories that could lead to the development of some very meaningful brands if those companies make a point (like the one my friend is working for) to listen.

That success will come from empathy for context. And empathy starts, however, with an awareness of cultural relativism: the idea that one’s assumptions about behavior and cultural norms based on one’s own cultural experience are not necessarily true in other cultures. I think the numbers only tell one part of the story: the opportunity. Many corporations make the mistake of seeing a number and translating it into dollar figures as an opportunity for business growth but not going deep enough into the human side of the opportunity. I’m excited that my friend is working for a company that makes a point to examine that opportunity. In this industry, especially – the impact of human understanding can be enormous: not just from a business perspective for his employer, but to the degree to which that company can deliver products and services that truly enhance the lives of their customers.

An interesting time we live in. So, let t he numbers inspire some thought. I’m interested in what some of my readers in the regions mentioned here feel are points of context that telecommunications providers should consider in developing their products and services.