Chapter 4 addresses the issue of access to mobile telephony. Here the report takes on a slightly less bullish tone. Nevertheless, the report argues that it is developing countries that are experiencing some of the highest levels of growth, and it puts forward a range of further arguments explaining why mobile telephony offers developing countries the best option for increasing access. One of the most useful explanations here surrounds a detailed analysis of foreign investment in building mobile in developing countries. The report argues that foreign investment is plentiful for mobile, with foreign investors being prepared to enter some of the world's poorest and most troubled countries, including Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, countries that are not even rated by investment services.
Foreign investors make up three basic types.
First, specialist developing country investors which are not themselves cellular operations such as Millicom which has investments in 18 countries. Third, multinational companies, who are generally more risk averse than the others. Chapter 5 explores the pricing of mobile. It outlines the miasma of different pricing plans typically on offer and the huge differences in prices in different countries. Here, there is little correlation between the wealth of a country and the affordability of mobile telephony.