Internet Connection to the Masses

There was a time when the Internet experience-for-all was an idea so remote that those belonging to the C, D, and E crowd can only surmise it was a myth.  Before, Internet access could only readily be enjoyed by anyone who has a desktop personal computer or laptop and could easily pay for an Internet service provider, given its rather pricey monthly subscription plans.

But there was no way to stop the Internet from conquering the whole world.  Eventually, the low-end market was bitten by the cyberspace bug and discovered the wonders of accessing what’s new all over the world with just a click of the mouse.  In the Philippines, for instance, Internet shops grew a massive fold to cater to the increasing need of the low-end market to connect to the world.  

 

Now, the Internet experience is making its presence felt more than ever, thanks to our mobile phones.  With the proliferation of smartphones – mobile phones that go beyond sending texting messages or making phone calls – everyone can easily go online anytime, anywhere.

A growing number of people in the Philippines and abroad are favoring their handsets than their desktop PCs and laptops when it comes to surfing and social networking. In the Philippines, the combination of smartphones pre-loaded with apps and packaged data plans from telecom operators is driving the trend.

“I think Filipinos now recognize that it is much easier and more affordable to connect to the Internet via data plans using their phones,” Benoit Nalin, Nokia Philippines’ general manager says.  “The level of maturity among telecom operators here is unseen in other parts of the world.  It is only here that both the handset maker and the telecom operator work together to bring about an optimized Internet experience for the smartphone user.”

It is this cooperation that enables Nokia to offer a range of devices aimed at different segments of the market, to meet the growing user demand for Internet connection on the go.  Nokia sets its sights in the Philippines, in particular, which continues to lead the Southeast Asian market for being top mobile Internet users.   Filipinos are becoming a driving force in the mobile Internet trend.  It is estimated that mobile Internet usage in the Philippines is expected to grow 8.8 million in 2010 to 12 million this year, as the Internet becomes more accessible even to those in the lower end of the social class, thanks to the proliferation of affordable smartphones like those from Nokia.

 

In the next couple of years, experts foresee a shift from traditional access to personal access through the mobile phone; a new wave of users who will be accessing the Internet for the first time.

Consequently, Nokia is looking at answering this growing trend by introducing more Internet-cable, affordably-priced smartphones.  Its low-end smartphone comes loaded with premium applications but in a price that students on a budget can afford.  The Nokia X2-01, for example, is a full-QWERTY messaging phone that can support e-mail, instant messaging, Internet browsing and Facebook and Twitter.  The Nokia C2-01 model, on the other hand, offers 3G connectivity along with a 3.2 megapixel camera, e-mail, social networking, Internet browsing and instant messaging.

Source: Manila Bulletin

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