[brixon]

Interesting as long as you don't ignore a whole demographic (e.g. very poor people without phones).

[jnye131]

The population of Cote d'Ivoire is 20 million, Orange have released data from 5 million customers nationwide and they are one of 6 mobile phone operators. That suggests that mobile penetration is quite high in Cote d'Ivoire. Go to Abidjan and you'd see empirical evidence to support this theory too.

Cote d'Ivoire is a comparatively prosperous country in West Africa.

[brazzy]

Welcome to the 21st century. Cell phones are a dirt-cheap commodity, not a luxury.

If you can't afford a second-hand feature phone, you likely can't afford to ride the bus.

[16s]

I read yesterday that more people in India have access to a cell phone than to a toilet or running water. I assume they are very poor since they have to poop outside on the street, but they do have cell phones.

[Someone]

Even then, 40% of _households_ does not have a phone (http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/indian-toilet-s...). That is in line with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_..., which states there are about 2 mobile phones for every 3 Indians.

I think it is safe to bet that, among those using public transport, mobile phone ownership will not be higher. Also, of those with a mobile on those buses, mobile phone _usage_, likely, will be higher for the richer ones.

[delinka]

"Access to" and "owning it oneself" are not necessarily equivalent. If a household of seven has a single cell phone, seven people have "access to" a cell phone.

[Zigurd]

Mobile phones and internet access via mobile phones is a pretty high priority, even if the other items on the list are a toilet, a scooter, or a stove. The rationale is that the phone and internet enables you to earn more and get the other items.