Vodafone[edit | edit source]
Vodafone is a telecommunications company with headquarters in London. Vodafone was established in 1991 after it separated from Racal Electronics. In 2013, Vodafone was the second largest mobile telecommunications company. Vodafone now has networks in twenty-one countries and partner networks in 40 others. In 2010, Vodafone announced the launch of the cheapest cell phone in the world, the Vodafone 150. Shortly after this, Vodafone announced the release of the Vodafone 250 in 2010. The Vodafone 250 cell phone can be purchased for under twenty dollars.<ref>http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2010/02/worlds-cheapest-mobile-phone-aimed-developing-countries#<ref>
Vodafone 150[edit | edit source]
As mentioned, Vodafone is headquartered in London. Vodafone was established in 1991 after it separated from Racal Electronics. In 2013 Vodafone was the second largest mobile telecommunications company. Vodafone has networks in twenty one countries and has partner networks in 40 others. Vodafone announced its launch of the cheapest cell phone in the world, the Vodafone 150, in 2010. Shortly after Vodafone announced the release of the Vodafone 250 in 2010. The Vodafone 250 cell phone can be purchased for under twenty dollars.
Services[edit | edit source]
ITU secretary general Dr Hamadoun Toure stated "Even the simplest, low-end mobile phone can do so much to improve healthcare in the developing world."<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8516079.stm<ref>The phone can send an SMS text message and receive instructions on how to use information about different medications and vaccines which can improve the standard of health in developing nations greatly. When Vodafone launched the Vodafone 150 in India it also set up a mobile health service where subscribers could send five messages to health care professionals asking questions, and the professionals would reply within twenty four hours.<ref>http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-07-04/news/32537015_1_vodafone-india-vodafone-subscribers-website<ref>
The Vodafone 150's banking transaction is done through M-Pesa it allows subscribers who do not have bank accounts to send and receive money through their mobile phones. M-Pesa in Kenya has over six million customers. Vodafone has eleven million customers that use M-Pesa. In Africa Cenk Serdar, Director of Mobile Payments at Vodafone Group in South Africa stated that Vodafone 150 and M-Pesa have greatly improved the lives of users by allowing them to communicate with people outside their immediate surroundings and has changed the way people give and receive money<ref>http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2010/02/worlds-cheapest-mobile-phone-aimed-developing-countries#<ref>Even though the Vodafone 150 is fifteen dollars it is not cheaper than other options by much. The reason that the Vodafone has become so accepted is that even though the price is small the functionality is greater than other cell phones at a similar cost.
The Vodafone 250
The Vodafone 250 was released at the same time as the Vodafone 150. The cost of the Vodafone 250 is twenty dollars and comes with FM radio capability and a color screen. The Vodafone 250 also has SMS support and can place and receive calls.
References[edit | edit source]