Cell Phone Nation: How Mobile Phones Have Revolutionized Business, Politics and Ordinary Life in India Read Free Page B

police or criminals, if they want to badly enough, can find us).
    The expressions 2G, 3G and 4G stand for second, third and fourth generation technology—the new technologies that allow more electro-magnetic surfboard riders to be put onto a wave. 2G brought voice and SMSes. 3G gives moving pictures and interactive gaming. 4G promises huge increases in speed which in turn will enable more complex content and interactivity.
    Since RF is deemed to be a public good of which governments are in charge, governments license chunks of RF to telecom companies in return for large rental fees. Contests to get RF licences on favourable terms lead to wheeling and dealing that can put phones into villages, entrepreneurs into penthouses and politicians into jail. Such possibilities feature in this book.

1. Union of India: States, statecapitals and places mentioned in the text.
     

    2. Telecommunicationscircles: A, B, C and Metro circles as declared by the Government of India.

Illus. 3: Vanishing species. Yellow-painted Public Call Offices (PCOs) were everywhere but are fast disappearing. (Photo: Wikipedia, downloaded July 2012).

    Illus. 4: Swamy’s Treatise on Telephone Rules . The 850-page guide to the mysteries of the government telephone monopoly was a profit-maker until as late as 1993. (Photo: Robin Jeffrey).

Illus. 5: Duelling telcos. Vodafone and the government service provider BSNL fight for attention in Banaras. October 2009. (Photo: Assa Doron).

    Illus. 6: Cheeka to the rescue. The mobile phone dog started her advertising career with Hutch and helped move the brand to Vodafone. Cheeka, like the cell phone service she represents, is always there when you need her or so the ad would like us to believe. (Ogilvy & Mather and Vodafone, with permission and thanks).

    Illus. 7: Educating consumers. In one of the many Vodaphone outlets in Banaras, a placard explains to English speakers the wonders of mobile communication—from ‘SMS’ to ‘3G’ and ‘Wifi’. October 2009. (Photo: Assa Doron).

Illus. 8: ‘I have the touch’, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, brand ambassador for Samsung, tells buyers. The handwritten notice makes clear to newcomers to capitalism: ‘Fixed Prices, No Bargaining’. October 2009. (Photo: Assa Doron).

    Illus. 9: The art of retail, Part 1. Ravi’s privileged Samsung Mobile Outlet. Banaras, June 2010. (Photo: Assa Doron).

Illus. 10: The art of retail, Part 2. Sales promoters explain features in Ravi’s shop. Banaras, June 2010. (Photo: Assa Doron).

    Illus. 11: The art of retail, Part 3. Nokia display at Samir’s modest shop. Banaras, October 2009. (Photo: Assa Doron).

Illus. 12: Seasonal work. Sumit came to Samir’s shop to promote Nokia mobiles prior to Diwali in October 2009. (Photo: Assa Doron).

    Illus. 13: ‘Make Distance Vanish’. Cheap calls made long-distance romance possible. 50-paise-per-minute (one US cent). October 2009. (Photo: Assa Doron).

Illus. 14: Three towers out of 400,000 across India. North Delhi. July 2012. (Photo: Assa Doron).

    Illus. 15: Road-side fixer. Lucknow’s Hazratganj. June 2010. (Photo: Assa Doron).

Illus. 16: Pavement paraphernalia. Mobile-phone gear includes batteries, chargers, cases and more. Delhi. February 2011. (Photo: Assa Doron).

    Illus. 17: Mushrooming industry. Diploma from a mobile-phone repair institute. Banaras. February 2011. (Photo: Assa Doron).

Illus. 18: ‘Choreography of consumerism’. Nokia’s classy service centres may alienate poor customers. Banaras, October 2009. (Photo: Assa Doron).

    Illus. 19: ‘Nokia life tools. Valuable information—within your reach’. New Delhi. January 2010. (Photo: Assa Doron).

Illus. 20: Tied to the state. Getting a SIM card requires filling out a form, attaching a photograph and providing personal details. (Photo: Assa Doron).

    Illus. 21: Sea cells in south India. Kerala fisherman and their phones gained early fame. (Photo: The Hindu , 17 May 2012, with permission and thanks).

Illus. 22: