Effects of Cell Phone Essay

Small wireless device that has at least the same functions of a standard wired telephone but is smaller and more mobile. A cell phone requires a subscription to a service provider and requires either a prepaid or monthly billing setup. Generally, they have more functions than traditional land lines and need to be charged after a period of time. Also called mobile phone or mobile device.—BusinessDictionary.com A mobile phone (also known as a cellular phone, cell phone and a hand phone) is a device that can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link while moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile phone operator, allowing access to the public telephone network. By contrast, a cordless telephone is used only within the short range of a single, private base station.—Wikipedia A portable telephone that uses wireless cellular technology to send and receive phone signals. This technology works by dividing the Earth into small regions called cells. Within each cell the wireless telephone signal goes over its assigned bandwidth to a cell tower, which relays the signal to a telephone switching network, connecting the user to the desired party.—Dictionary.com Cell phone increase in the Philippines The use of mobile phones in the Philippines has brought better information access for farmers, broader citizen engagement and link to traffic data for taxi drivers, according to a new World Bank report. The country also witnessed one of the first uses of text messaging as a medium for social change during the EDSA II revolt in 2001 that led to the ouster of then President Joseph Estrada, the study cited. According to the report â€Å"Information and Communications for Development: Maximizing Mobile,† which was released on Monday, there were 101 mobile cellular subscriptions for every 100 people in the Philippines in 2011, a jump from 41 subscriptions for every 100 people in 2005. The report defined mobile cellular subscriptions as subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service using cellular technology, which provided access to the public switched telephone network. Postpaid and prepaid subscriptions were included. But it said that mobile subscriptions did not reflect actu al mobile phone ownership since there could be multiple subscriptions. Worldwide, the number of mobile subscriptions grew from one billion in 2000 to more than six billion in 2011, of which nearly five billion were in developing countries, the report said. In 2011, 96 percent of the total mobile cellular subscriptions in the Philippines were prepaid. In 2010, mobile cellular network in the Philippines covered 99 percent of the population and 80 percent of households reported ownership of a mobile telephone. The World Bank cited the Philippines as an example in using mobile’s potential to strengthen accountability and transparency in public services and processes. In particular, it said that the Department of Education has worked with the Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia and the Pacific to set up a website that allowed the citizens to view significant statistics on local schools. The site, called checkmyschool.org, is a government-to-citizen online and mobile-based interactive tool that includes information such as budget allocations, teacher and textbook information and test scores for about a fifth of the 44,000 schools in the country, the report said. It is also an avenue for teachers and parents to express areas of concern that they feel should be addressed. The site, which seeks to improve education service delivery through transparent and accountable behavior by school staff, has improved community participation and vigilance and teacher behavior, the World Bank said. â€Å"These efforts are typically innovative because they often change the delivery or management of a conventional service or process,† the report said. Commercial farmers in the Philippines also benefited from accessing price information through mobile phones, reporting income gains and increase in trust of traders, the report cited. Prior to the expansion of mobile networks, agricultural producers were often unaware about prices and had to rely on information from traders and agents, the report said. â€Å"Delays in obtaining this data or misinterpretation of second-hand pricing information has serious consequences for agricultural producers, who may end up underselling their products, delivering too little or too much of the product, or having their products w ither away,† the World Bank said. The study also mentioned Cebu City where taxi drivers use mobile phones with global positioning systems to receive traffic data and dispatch information. The report added that social media, along with messages, videos and pictures sent from mobile phones, were useful tools for organizing protests and monitoring democracy and freedom. â€Å"Mobile communications offer major opportunities to advance human and economic development—from providing basic access to health information to making cash payments, spurring job creation, and stimulating citizen involvement in democratic processes,† said World Bank vice president for sustainable development Rachel Kyte. â€Å"The challenge now is to enable people, businesses and governments in developing countries to develop their own locally relevant mobile applications so they can take full advantage of these opportunities,† Kyte added. Positive Effects of Cell Phone The Positive Effects of Cell Phones on Society Written by chris joseph Cell phone can have positive effects on society. Ever since the early 1990s when cell phone use became widespread, the devices have had a major impact on society. While some effects have been negative, such as the practice of driving while talking on cell phones, they have also had many positive effects. Cell phones can facilitate communication and help family and friends keep in close contact. They have also played a positive role in the operation of businesses. Peace of Mind Cell phones offer parents the peace of mind that they can contact their kids at any time. They can also feel better knowing that their kids can either contact them or the authorities in the event of an emergency situation. People who travel for a living can feel better knowing that if their vehicle breaks down and they become stranded, help is just a quick phone call away. Keeping in Touch Friends and family members who live far apart can easily keep in touch via cell phone. You don’t have to worry about not being at home since the cell phone can go where you go. Kids who are away at college can keep their parents informed of their progress and spouses who are separated due to a lengthy business trip can stay in frequent contact. Business Cell phones can make a difference on how business is conducted. Salespeople can get back to customers more quickly and can conduct business from virtually anywhere. A manager of a fleet of commercial vehicles can easily stay in touch with his drivers and alert them to last-minute changes in a delivery schedule, even if they are in a hotel or have stopped for a bite to eat. Social Networking Cell phones can contribute to one’s ability to network and to broadcast a message to the masses. For example, you can use your cell phone’s text message feature to send and received messages via social networking websites such as Twitter, so you can communicate with large groups of people without the need to be near a computer. Information Exchange Much like the Internet, cell phones increase the ability to exchange and spread information. People with cell phones can spread the word about an important or newsworthy incident as it occurs, giving people the sense of always being â€Å"in the loop.† Camera phones can enhance this exchange of information by adding a visual element. Texting Although text messaging is potentially disruptive, it also contributes to positive changes in organizations. Clients can send quick updates while causing minimal distractions for your employees. As a business owner, cellphones allow you to communicate with employees without spending time talking on the phone, helping you and your employees to multitask with greater efficiency. If a reminder is particularly urgent, you can send your workers text messages along with the typical emails, increasing the chance they receive your message. On-Call Availability Employees who carry cellphones can be reached faster, improving your organization’s ability to respond to short-notice events. Without cellphones, you rely on your employees to be at home to receive messages. On-call availability is important particularly for employees with strict deadlines and unpredictable work schedules. In addition, employees who are on the road often can keep you up-to-date with greater ease. If you have a last-minute change of plans, you can call your employees’ cellphones to let them know. In this way, the on-call nature of cellphones helps your workers be more prepared for their jobs. More Direct Line of Communication The direct nature of cellphone communication provides convenience for your customers. Clients prefer calling a cellphone instead of navigating a front desk or automated answering system. Cellphones help your clients feel important because your employees are easily accessible. Frustrated clients may become angrier when they are forced to navigate a phone system. When your employees have cellphones, clients can reach them quickly, allowing conflict to be resolved faster. In addition, the lack of a middleman between your employees and clients may foster a more personal feeling toward your business. Multiple Lines Organizations lacking an expensive multiple-line phone system may find cellphones invaluable. Your employees receive voice messages from customers without needing a separate phone line at your office. They also don’t have to rely on front-desk notifications. This feature frees time for your front desk employees. At the same time, it decreases the risk of misunderstandings and lost messages as co-workers forward messages to one another.