Mobile telephony, economy, and social logistics
This Chapter 4 gives a nuanced picture of the role of mobile phones in economic activities in rural West Bengal. Rather than juxtaposing economic and social uses, it explores them in tandem. How are phones used instrumentally and socially, and how do these different uses mesh and interrelate? The chapter also looks at how phone use influences social relationships, including their use for health care. Furthermore, the chapter assesses how the enhancement of logistical efficiency with the help of phones relates to development as economic growth and increased well-being. It highlights that not all people received equal economic benefits from phones. Phones have been most beneficial for the wealthiest entrepreneurs and large farmers. Those entrepreneurs whose markets extend outside the village have benefitted more than those who mainly market their products and services in the village.