GOOGLE SMS INTRODUCED IN UGANDA.

The global economic model that arose over the past two decades that allowed low-wage earners in developing countries to service high-wage earners in developed countries becomes increasingly unsustainable as the wage differential between the served and the servers declines and as technology puts increasingly powerful devices directly into consumers' hands. The conundrum faced by those trying to service developing nations is that there is little wage differential between the served and the servers yet developing nation consumers can't afford state-of-the-art information devices such as Apple's (www.apple.com) iPhone, Android (www.android.com) smartphones, or RIM (www.rim.net) Blackberries.

Google (www.google.com) SMS, announced on June 29, is a suite of services intended to meet Africa's needs. Among this suite of services are the following applications:

- Google SMS Tips (6001*): an SMS-based query-and-answer service that enables users to have a "web search-like" experience--Google says users can enter a free form text query that its algorithms restructure and to which Google responds;
- Google SMS Search (6006*): news sports, stocks, horoscopes, glossary, currency converter, religious texts, translations, flights, Q&A, calculator, and local time;
- Google Trader (6007*): an SMS-based application that helps buyers and sellers find each other--people can find, sell, or buy any type of product or service.

These services are free of charge from Google. Carrier charges are 110 UGX for SMS Tips, while charges for SMS Search and SMS Trader are 220 UGX each. (1 Uganda Shilling [UGX] = 0.0004746 US Dollar [USD]) (*These services are currently supported by MTN Uganda [www.mtn.co.ug/] only.)

Google provided two search examples--one pertaining to the use of urine to control weevils, the other explaining the proper use of condoms—both examples address life and death issues faced by citizens in developing areas. Despite citing an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) (www.itu.int) report that shows that Africa has the world's highest mobile growth rate, Google reports that mobile phones are owned by only one-third of the population. Internet penetration is even lower--only one sixth the penetration rate of mobile phones.

Google reports that its Tips and Trader applications are the fruits of partnerships with Grameen Foundation (www.grameenfoundation.org/), MTN Uganda, Busoga Rural Open Source and Development Initiative (BROSDI) (http://brosdi.or.ug/), Straight Talk Foundation (www.straight-talk.or.ug/), and Marie Stopes Uganda (www.mariestopes.org.ug).
-Stuart Whitaker