1. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer University of Cape Town

2. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town The rise of the cell phone – the demise of the computer? 300 million active connections in Africa, up to 70% usage in South Africa Extreme growth among black population in SA, computer ownership remains low Advantages over traditional computers: –Low infrastructure costs –Mobile –Prepaid No reliable data on cell phone usage in SA

3. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town The South African case “Millions” of MXit users (mobile instant messaging) – growing societal concern Strong inequalities among between social and racial groups Cell phone use among 16-19-year-olds: Source: AMPS 2007

4. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town The South African case Extreme inequalities among racial groups for Internet usage according to household surveys Unreliable data? Internet used among 16-19-year-olds Source: AMPS 2007

5. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Rationale for study Pilot quantitative approach and specific questionnaire design in an urban extreme case high school Use experiences gained for a larger study focusing on cell phone Internet usage among South African youth

6. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Research Questions What are the current cell phone usage and ownership patterns among youth at a South African township school? What is the potential for using cell phones in education at this school?

7. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Methodology 1 secondary school in Samora Machel 2 grade 11 classes 66 students 32 questions – paper/pencil questionnaires administered by researcher 203 variables Closed-ended, open ended, Likert scales questions Aggregates calculated from several variables

8. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Demographics 100% isiXhosa Average age 17.9 80% planning to pursue further education 95% walk to school

9. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Cell phone ownership 100% use, but only 75% own a cell phone Non-owners used better handsets Wide range from very basic (e.g. Nokia 1100) to very advanced phones (e.g. Motorola Razr)

10. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Cell phone features Features available on the phone used or owned Yes send and receive text messages 89.1% play games 86.7% take pictures 67.2% play music or MP3 files 66.1% play videos 60.0% record videos 59.7% access the internet or websites 50.8% send and receive email 45.9% send instant messages (MXit, noknok, etc) 41.7% receive Radio programmes 32.8% receive TV programmes 24.6%

11. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Cell phone features (detailed) With your cell phone, is it possible to...All respondentsCell owners (A)Non-owners (B)Difference N% yesN N B-A send and receive text messages 5789.10%4489.80%1184.60%-5.20% play games 5286.70%4085.10%11100.00%14.90% take pictures 4167.20%3368.80%654.50%-14.30% play music or MP3 files 4166.10%3265.30%872.70%7.40% play videos 3660.00%2859.60%763.60%4.00% record videos 3759.70%2959.20%763.60%4.40% access the internet or websites 3150.80%2552.10%654.50%2.40% send and receive email 2845.90%2041.70%763.60%21.90% send instant messages 2541.70%1939.60%660.00%20.40% receive Radio programmes 2032.80%1531.30%545.50%14.20% receive TV programmes 1524.60%1225.00%327.30%2.30%

12. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Cell phone features Important features (selection) Advanced applications are very important “If you had to buy a new phone today, how important are the following factors to you?” MeanDon’t know to be able to take pictures or videos 1.53.0% to be able to go online 1.482.2% to be able to play music 1.42.0% to have fast internet (3G or HSDPA) 1.254.9% a big display 1.003.3% small size or light weight.89.0% that it has a low price.673.6% Respondents were given a Likert scale ranging from 2 (very important) to -2 (not important at all).

13. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Usage macro factors 86% use MTN network –Nat’l average black 16-19: 45%* 96% prepaid –Nat’l average black 19: 99%* Weekly expenditure R30 (~ $4) –High compared to national averages of racial groups in the same age bracket (next slide) *AMPS (2007)

14. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town All Media Product Survey Based on cell phone users, 16-19 years Present survey Average Cellphone Expenditure Per Month by RaceBlackColouredIndianWhite- Less Than R5059.9%46.0%28.1%12.9%25.9% R51-R8916.7%16.0%15.6%18.4%24.1% R90-R1109.0%14.3%12.9%16.0%1.7% R111-R1253.3%6.6%4.6%5.8%3.4% R126-R1502.9%6.9%10.9%14.2%17.2% R151-R2002.0%3.0%10.3%12.0%6.9% R201-R2700.7%2.7%6.6%7.7%8.6% R271-R5001.0%3.9%7.2%7.0%6.9% R501-R6500.1% 1.7%0.8%1.7% R651-R7500.0% 0.1%0.0% R751-R9500.1%0.0% 0.7%0.0% R951-R11500.1%0.0% 0.8%0.0% More Than R11500.2% 1.4%0.7%0.0% Don't Buy Airtime,Receive Call3.3%0.2%0.0%0.4%3.4% Nunknown63 AMPS (2007) Kreutzer (2008)

15. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Usage macro factors Who pays for your airtime or for your cell phone contract? Count%femalemale myself3659.0%47.2%67.9% my parents2541.0%36.1%39.3% my family other than my parents1524.6%22.2%25.0% boyfriend or girlfriend69.8%5.6%10.7% n=64 - Based on all respondents except those with no airtime expenditures. Note: Table exceeds 100% due to multiple responses Stronger male financial independence? But: Girls were found to spend slightly more than boys Findings show many statistically significant differences between genders but qualitative follow-up research necessary

16. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Usage micro factors Four major categories of using cell phones –Personal/traditional communication –Entertainment –Mobile instant messaging –Internet Usage determined by cell phone, but often more than one phone is available

17. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Personal communication Personal Communication Variableseveryesterday Count all % female % male %Count all % female %male % difference m-f send a text message65 98.5% 97.2%100.0%43 65.2% 55.6%75.0% 19.4% make a phone call64 97.0% 94.4%100.0%41 62.1% 58.3%67.9% 9.6% please call me58 90.6% 94.1%85.7%35 53.0% 58.3%46.4% -11.9% give a missed call to other people53 86.9% 90.9%81.5%21 31.8% 33.3%32.1% -1.2% any personal communication 66 100.0% 60 90.9% 86.0%96.4% 10.4% n=66, male n=28, female n=36 Boys more frequent users of text messages and phone calls Girls more frequent in sending free ‘please call me’ messages or giving missed calls

18. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Entertainment Entertainment variableseveryesterday Coun tall % female % male % differenc e m-f Coun tall % female % male % differenc e m- f play games6192.4%100.0%85.7%-14.3%3553.0%61.1%46.4%-14.7% take a picture5583.3%77.8%92.9%15.1%3756.1%47.2%67.9%20.7% play music5481.8%55.6%50.0%-5.6%2943.9%8.3%21.4%13.1% record a video5075.8%72.2%82.1%9.9%3147.0%38.9%57.1%18.2% play video4162.1%55.6%53.6%-2.0%1827.3%13.9%21.4%7.5% n=66, male n=28, female n=36 Playing games is extremely popular, especially among girls Picture taking most popular among boys

19. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Mobile instant messaging (MIM) Instant Messaging clients everyesterday Countall % female % male % difference m-fCountall % female % male % difference m-f noknok3553.0%47.2%60.7%13.5%1116.7%5.6%28.6%23.0% MXit3248.5%44.4%53.6%9.2%1928.8%19.4%42.9%23.5% méèp1319.7%16.7%25.0%8.3%69.1%8.3%10.7%2.4% 2go812.1%8.3%17.9%9.6%34.5%2.8%7.1%4.3% (aggregate) any IM used5380.3%72.2%92.8%20.6%3147.0%27.7%71.4%43.7% n=66, female n=36, male n=28 MIM is a cheap alternative to traditional cell phone communication and half of all respondents use it on a typical day MXit most popular MIM client, but closely followed by MTN’s noknok Strong male dominance

20. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Mobile instant messaging (cont’d) MXit activities everyesterday Coun tall % female % male %diff. m-f Coun tall % female % male %diff. m-f talk to people I know3350.0% 53.6%3.6%1319.7%16.7%25.0%8.3% talk to people I haven't met in person2537.9%36.1%42.9%6.8%1522.7%13.9%35.7%21.8% access other MXit services1827.3%22.2%35.7%13.5%1116.7%13.9%21.4%7.5% n=66, male n=28, female n=36 High male retention rate: most boys who have used MIM once are still using it on a typical day 45% of respondents use MIM for less than 30 minutes per day

21. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Internet and Web usage 97% have used Internet from a cell phone (via GPRS/WAP/MIM/etc) –83% use the Internet on a typical day Heavy usage of Web (47% on a typical day) –Follow-up research will determine more detailed usage patterns of exact websites etc –For subcategories see next slide

22. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Internet and Web usage everyesterday all % female %male %m-f all % female %male %m-f (aggregate) any Internet use97.0% 97.2%100.0% 2.8% 83.1% 80.6%89.3% 8.7% (aggregate) any website91.0% 88.9%96.4% 7.5% 71.1% 69.4%75.0% 5.6% (aggregate) any IM applications used80.3% 72.2%92.8%20.6%47%27.7%71.4%43.7% get news or weather online 80.3% 63.9%60.7% -3.2% 40.9% 19.4%21.4% 2.0% download songs, videos or ringtones 87.9% 77.8%89.3% 11.5% 40.9% 41.7%50.0% 8.3% go online for no particular reason 62.1% 66.7%60.7% -6.0% 30.3% 25.0%32.1% 7.1% send and receive email 62.1% 58.3%60.7% 2.4% 25.8% 11.1%14.3% 3.2% information about a hobby or interest 59.1% 86.1%92.9% 6.8% 24.2% 38.9%46.4% 7.5% hunt for a particular fact 57.6% 61.1%57.1% -4.0% 21.2% 22.2%21.4% -0.8% use an instant messaging client 60.6% 77.8%85.7% 7.9% 19.7% 36.1%50.0% 13.9% look for health or medical information 54.5% 55.6%64.3% 8.7% 16.7% 32.1% 15.4% information about movies, books or other leisure activities 50.0% 69.4%57.1% -12.3% 16.7% 27.8%25.0% -2.8% information on further education 53.0% 63.9%64.3% 0.4% 13.6% 33.3%28.6% -4.7% look for information for school 59.1% 52.8%50.0% -2.8% 12.1% 16.7%17.9% 1.2%

23. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Outlook Quantitative data in U.S. (Pew Research) shows that minorities are more likely to use cell phones to go online – similar patterns emerging in SA? Follow-up study (August/September 2008) will use larger sample for quantitative research but also qualitative interviews and participant log books to track detailed Web usage

24. Assessing Cell Phone Usage in a South African Township School Tino Kreutzer - University of Cape Town Contact tino.kreutzer @ gmail.com