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Cordless Phones in Africa Introduced by TelOne

Whenever the term wireless technology is mentioned, the list of locations that spring to the minds of average e-consumers may include Spain, France or China, but one can be certain that Africa or specifically, the country Zimbabwe, is not among them. As if, by a fixed principle, devices that use this sort of technology like cordless phones can only be found in these places along with the U.S., U.K., Europe and others of the like—with all of them exhibiting none of the poor economic conditions typical in many African countries.

And yes, there is, to an extent, a bit of truth in that. Technology costs money, which is why it people often associate it with affluent and reasonably well-off countries and societies. In places where there are still relentless cultural in-fighting and pervasive corrupt government practices, it is no wonder why some actually raised an eyebrow when they heard of the imminent plans of the telephone operator TelOne to launch 30,000 cordless phones that will support wireless technology in numerous portions of Zimbabwe.

Though the gesture serves to promote more advanced technological means in the region, there is a much more basic reason that accounts for it: Mr. Makamure, managing director of TelOne, tells of the widespread theft of copper cables—a primary component of telephone lines—typical in the country that makes landline connection difficult. Such antics have served to further aggravate the situation as well.

Indeed, when you finally start to think the move was to help digital refinement along in such areas, you find out about the copper cable thievery. Sometimes, there is just something so terribly out of kilter with the world and the thought is particularly reinforced when you hear of places where people have to steal copper cables presumably to sell them off in exchange of food, money or any other basic requirement they may need to live (which is a common enough scenario in such places).

Meaning, the idea of cordless phones acquisition sounds wonderful but in the face of the implacable poverty that greets you, there is a decidedly genuine fear that as it drives a bigger wedge between individuals of different social classes, thus adding to the already tumultuous cultural mix in the region, the invasion of such digital trends into the African landscape may not exactly serve the best interests of the greater population, unless it is accompanied with both social and economic reorganization of major proportions.