I was amused to see every body in Kabul has one mobile phone
This is really one of the funniest things. The most out of context technology resembling the consumer side of globalization! (hehe, what a statement!) I also immediately bought a mobile phone, you can’t do anything without! Actually an afghan friend had told me as one of the security instruction to buy a mobile as soon as I arrive and always have enough credit on it. Indeed I should have known that it is easy to buy a mobile phone, but it was funny to see there is hardly any fix telephone line and just mobiles. Lots of people had such a fancy mobiles! One guy laughed at my old and simple mobile. The mobile commercials were the most dominate ones, actually almost the only one! Three companies: Rooshan, Ariba and Afghan-sim, all foreign company, British, Arab and American. You wonder if really connecting people in this part of world is important. I mean if this is the philosophy behind it? Or is it again the matter of good business? 
"Mobile shop, you see them every where"
From marketing point of view it is actually smart, case study: there are almost no addresses here, houses do not have number, and most of the streets do not have any name sign. How do you find an address?
Me; I want to meet A (imagine A is actually the Parliament member, who I want to interview her about women movements).
Me (calling): after lengthy greetings, would you be so kind and give me a time for interview this week?
A: maybe tomorrow
Me: Oh great! What time?
A: call me in the morning. If this number doesn’t work , the other one…
Me: sure!
Tomorrow morning:
Me (calling): where is the address?
A: come to Kabul City center (a big building some where in the Shahr e Nouw) then I’ll tell you how to come here.
Kabul City Center:
Me: I am in Kabul City center, where should I go now?
A: take the first street which has a kiosk on the …..
…… and after couple of times calling and spending at least 1$ I get to the appointment.
I asked from an executive director of one of above listed mobile company. “why every body has a mobile phone and what is your motivation”? he answered, “mobile is cheap here, it cost nothing! You almost phone for free”.
I guess I would pay around 5 cents every time I call, (not that much cheaper than in the Netherlands) so if making one appointment cost around 1$, and average income of government employers is 50$ a month, can some body do the math? 
"Mobile advertise, Ariba, with cute girls!"
What is the use of consumer technology, when is just helping people get lazier and empty their packets? Wouldn’t they try to at least put a number on the houses of their street if they weren’t be connected to give direction on the phone? Maybe yes, maybe no! nobody knows! I still wonder whether you would need a certain educational and infrastructural base for bringing new consumer technologies, not educational, not beneficial for the development. Would it work if you take current high tech devices to a society of 100 years a go? It is amusing to observe that here!
"Mobile commercial on the ruined building! again Ariba"
7 comments:
You look really naive! I don't know what you are doing there, but keep in mind the mobile business is a business that works well now, like many other things, like bringing ice cream from US to Baghdad for American soldier, and it doesn't need any infra structure. Basicly no one gives a damn shit to Afghan, Iraqis, Iranian, etc! No one is going to really build a real infra structure for Afghans, unless they suck enough out of them, and even then they are going to give huge contracts to western companies. Meanwhile these mobile companies are gaining something, but the American are very interested in the mobile technology, and want it to be cheap, because they are tapping to your signals all the time, I mean dude they are doing it here, what do you expect, to give up all the data that is being circulated in Afghanistan. If they don't do it through the mobile company itself, they can do it by just putting a communication unit any where in Kabul, or even by an aircraft with such capabilities like an AWACS, or satelite, etc. If your phones are satelite phones then it is like a piece of cake, it dosn't need anything then! So whenever you are talking be certain some one might be listening, if they aren't just say Allah or something like that, then the computers would track you immediately. How could this have been done without spreading the mobile between Afghans almost for free! Movazebe Khodat Bash! Dokhtar-e-Divooneh!
Hey anonymous! Thanks for the conspiracy theory comment! ;)
I know in a most naïve scenario, it is all for business. And of course over hearing the phones is the usual suspect. Indeed my main point is what is happening there is not that much to do with development planning. I just write my observations!
And just theoretically I still have this question of would be possible to bring the current high tech devices to a society of 100 years a go? Or one step further how would you breakdown this circle in the benefit of people there? (I’m still a idealistic “divouneh” who thinks world can be a better place to live… )
I don't know if you live in Iran or abroad but the title you have chosen for this post is patronising. Why you should be "amused"? Just because they are Afghan? Are you also amused when you see everybody in Iran has a mobile phone, or Iran is different? Typical Iranian racism: we are genius Aryans and of superior race!
No honey, we are like Afghans, not better, not worse (not sure on the latter point though).
Hi mate,
Interested experience to share. Just improve your English and spend more time on editing the text before publishing.
To Iran abroad:
Well, why are you judging me? Iranian racist!! Hehe, if I would be Iranian racist I wouldn’t go there and I would keep my nose up and say (like some friends saying) “isn’t any better place in world to go? Why do you go from EU to Kabul?!” Never mind, I was amused to see mobile phone in the hand of every body when there is little food to eat, (not even Iranian style) road, little schools, no electricity, etc and people spend their money on calling with mobile to ask for address, etc. it is nothing to do with Afghans, (I actually love them and respect them a lot) I guess I would feel the same if every body from the village I come from would have a mobile phone too! For me mobile is just a symbol of high tech, which looks strange in a place when more than half of population is illiterate.
I do not think we (Iranian!) are better or worst or whatever. I hope I have not given that message in my post!
To Kami: Thanks! I’ll keep it in mind!
maryam
Maryam khanoum,
Sorry if my comment was a bit harsh. Your point taken, and good luck.
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