According to Indian telecom regulatory authority, there are 920 million mobile phone subscribers in the country.
India's mobile boom —
According to Indian telecom regulatory authority, there are 920 million mobile phone subscribers in the country.
AFP/Getty Images
The global number of cell phones users surpassed six billion at the end of 2011, according to estimates by Wireless Inteligence and International Telecommunication Union.
India's mobile boom —
The global number of cell phones users surpassed six billion at the end of 2011, according to estimates by Wireless Inteligence and International Telecommunication Union.
AFP/Getty Images
That makes India the world's second-largest cell phone user base, after China.
India's mobile boom —
That makes India the world's second-largest cell phone user base, after China.
Getty Images
Of the 920m Indians subscribing to a cell phone, as of June 2012, 6.8 per cent or 63 million of them claim to access the Internet from their cell phones.
India's mobile boom —
Of the 920m Indians subscribing to a cell phone, as of June 2012, 6.8 per cent or 63 million of them claim to access the Internet from their cell phones.
AFP/Getty Images
In 2010, mPowering handed 56 families in Juanga, India, a smartphone loaded with culturally customized mobile apps and location analytics (similar to Foursquare) built around the concept of rewards and incentives.
India's mobile boom —
In 2010, mPowering handed 56 families in Juanga, India, a smartphone loaded with culturally customized mobile apps and location analytics (similar to Foursquare) built around the concept of rewards and incentives.
Photo: Gabriel Gastelum. Courtesy of mPowering
Despite some of the villagers having never used a phone, they quickly learned how it worked. Pictured is a family who have participated in the program.
India's mobile boom —
Despite some of the villagers having never used a phone, they quickly learned how it worked. Pictured is a family who have participated in the program.
Photo: Gabriel Gastelum. Courtesy of mPowering
Sharing one smartphone per family, the children earn points for attending school and mothers for attending preventative healthcare classes.
India's mobile boom —
Sharing one smartphone per family, the children earn points for attending school and mothers for attending preventative healthcare classes.
Photo: Gabriel Gastelum. Courtesy of mPowering
The families then pool the points and redeem them for food, clothing and medicine each month.
India's mobile boom —
The families then pool the points and redeem them for food, clothing and medicine each month.
Photo Credit Gabriel Gastelum. Courtesy of mPowering
The mobile phone manufacturers around the world are cashing in on the Indian mobile boom - offering Indians everything from cheap basic phones to high-end smartphones.
India's mobile boom —
The mobile phone manufacturers around the world are cashing in on the Indian mobile boom - offering Indians everything from cheap basic phones to high-end smartphones.
DESHAKALYAN CHOWDHURY/AFP/Getty Images