Socio-Economic Assessment of Modern Mobile Telecommunication Systems

Dr. Chris DoyleDepartment of Economics

3 December 2012

Socio-Economic Assessment, Slide 2 of 7Dr. Chris Doyle, 3 December 2012

Presentation

• Introduction

• Traditional concerns and consensus

• Looking forward: mHealth

• Benefits vs. Costs

• Concluding remarks

Socio-Economic Assessment, Slide 3 of 7Dr. Chris Doyle, 3 December 2012

Introduction

Benefits?CommunicationsMonitoring/SecurityProductivityInternet accessmHealthmFinance

Costs?Aesthetic/unsightlyRadiation health concernsInvasive

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Traditional Concerns & Consensus• Rapid growth in mobile telecommunications and as an

enabler of Internet access makes mobile infrastructure increasingly visible

• Scientific studies extensive dating from 1990s: – 1999 Royal Society of Canada;2000 WHO and Stewart Report (UK)

– “No general risk to the health of people living near to base stations”

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Looking Forward: mHealth

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Benefits vs Costs

• Benefits derive from access to valuable information

• 1st generation mHealth– SMS based alerts

• 2nd generation mHealth on 3G– Simple apps user controls

• 3rd generation mHealth on LTE– Diagnostics, remote

monitoring

• Costs include possible elevated risks due to radiation

• Scientific studies suggest low costs and in many cases not significant

• Costs of health provision lowered and targetting more effective

Socio-Economic Assessment, Slide 7 of 7Dr. Chris Doyle, 3 December 2012

Concluding Remarks

• Scientists say there is no convincing long-term adverse radiation effects from many studies

• This is very good news – as benefits are considerable and appear to increase as mobile networks shift from 2G to 3G and onto 4G/LTE

• Telenor with Boston Consulting published “The Socio-Economic impact of Mobile Health” in April 2012– Reference: http://

telenor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/BCG-Telenor-Mobile-Health-Report-May-20121.pdf