We often focus on new technologies – developing the newest app or handing every teacher a tablet – as if they are magic bullets to solving the world’s development problems. While it would be great if this were true, if “innovation” was indeed the answer, we know that the reality is not so simple.

A recent article in The Guardian cautions practitioners to “avoid the lure of the shiny gadget”, arguing that the best tech doesn’t need to be the newest tech, a lesson that rings true for us at Equal Access. Our experience is in accordance with other practitioners in ICT4D who argue that older technologies cannot be dismissed and that technology convergence, rather than the latest new ICT, holds greater transformative potential.

The Low-Tech Answer: FM Radio and IVR
FM radio is still the most pervasive medium of information in the developing world, with usage and access close to 100% in almost every country. And since mobile ownership is often limited to basic phones without access to 3G networks or sophisticated applications, SMS (for the literate) and voice-based services continue to be the main ways in which people use mobile technology.

To read the full article featured in ICT Works go Here.