According to United Nations’ recent report, mobile phones are spreading faster than any other information technology and thus they can improve the livelihoods of the poorest people in developing countries.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development said in its Information Economy Report on Thursday, that the governments must design responsive policies to ensure that the benefits reach the broadest number in the most effective way.

Mobile Phone Subscriptions: Mobile phone subscriptions will reach five billion this year — almost one per person on the planet, UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi told a news conference on the report. Penetration in developed countries is over 100 percent, with many people having more than one mobile phone or subscription. In developing countries, the subscription rate is now 58 per 100 people, and rising rapidly, with the rate in the poorest Least Developed Countries (LDCs) up at 25 from only 2 per 100 a few years ago, UNCTAD figures show. The potential of mobile phones in developing countries has been highlighted by the efforts of Russia’s Vimpelcom to tie up with the telecoms assets of Egypt’s Orascom, which include Algerian operator Djezzy that Algiers wants to nationalise.