|
|
|
| Sunday, 25 December 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Business |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Jaffna district ranks highest among mobile phone users by Gamini Warushamana People of Jaffna are the highest telephone users and spend more than 12% of their monthly income on telecommunication, a study reveals. They are highly dependent on mobile phones and account for the biggest demand for international calls. The study conducted by LIRNEasia, an Asian research organisation based in Colombo conducted a study of telephone use of people whose monthly income are below Rs. 10,000 in Badulla, Colombo, Jaffna and Hambantota districts. The war ravaged Jaffna peninsula now returning to normalcy and economic activities in all sectors showing improvement after the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) signed in early 2002. However higher telecom usage is also a result of the war, because people in these areas have either migrated to other areas or gone overseas. Primary modes of telephone access among the Jaffna people are mobile and public utility such as communication centres. Mobile phone usage is higher in Jaffna than all the other areas studied. Telecom access in Jaffna has increased significantly after the private sector telecom operators commenced operations in the region after the CFA. Before the private sectors' entry SLTL was the sole telecom provider which had only 8,021 phone connections. After CFA, Dialog Telecom fixed mobile connections in the region. In 2003, around 150,000 new mobile connections were given and it is 32.5% of the 461,823 total new mobile connections given in the entire country, the report said. Convenience and flexibility as well as lack of other options are the reasons for the demand in high mobile access in Jaffna. War-ragged peninsula left with poor telecommunication infrastructure and installation of new lines is costly and time consuming. Large number of Jaffna people have migrated and thus the region initiate and receive more international calls now than before. 12% of income spent on telecommunication is a large fraction of monthly income for the financially constrained people. However the study has ignored foreign remittances from abroad and therefore the exact income has not been identified. LIRNEasia's executive director, Prof. Rohan Samarajiva said, "The Jaffna case study included many important lessons for those who are working in reconstructing post-conflict societies. In those societies, families are fragmented and a sense of security is highly valued. The ability to communicate with their loved ones is a critically important element of the healing process, in addition to being a basic human right. Even as the security situation deteriorates, we must keep in mind the importance of keeping these families connected", he said. The same study conducted in India and the data from both the countries were used to analyse the patterns of telephone use by men and women. Study says that men and women engaged in similar levels of telephone use in low income settings. These similarities are in average number of calls made and received as well as the duration of calls in both countries. They mostly take local calls (6-20 calls per month) and fewer international calls (less than five calls per month) and the average time of an incoming or outgoing phone call is less than five minutes. Telephones are used mostly for relationship-maintenance purposes and
respondents gave 90% weight on that point when asked for reasons for using
the phone. These weights did not differ significantly between men and women. |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
