Article
Today, mobile phones are the primary form of telecommunication in most emerging economies, fulfilling much the same role as fixed-line phone networks did in facilitating growth in the United States and Europe after World War II. Some developing nations have even jumped out in front as mobile pioneers. In the Philippines, more than 4 million people use their cell phones as virtual wallets to buy things or transfer cash – services still rare in many wealthy countries, with few exceptions like Japan. This article examines ways that mobile telephony has impacted on owners, principally in Vietnam but also in other parts of the world.