'Over 50 million lower, middle income groups using cellphones'

The expansion of the mobile phone network in Pakistan while facilitating people at the urban and rural level to remain connected, has also added a new element of expenditure on mobile communication even at the poorest level, reports UPP correspondent.
People working in the service industry have benefited most from the cell phone facility in the country and now small traders, shop owners, vendors in the retail sector, sanitation workers, industrial workers, transportation workers at the Urban and rural levels now have mobile phones and remain connected with their concerned employers and colleagues.
One can see mobile users among the sweepers, the tailors, the 'Tandoor owners', transport operators, cleaners, mechanics, bakery products retailers and almost every fruit seller in the fruit and vegetable market.
It is even claimed by some in the market that even some of the beggars have cell phones which they conceal under their torn clothing and use it for calling the 'protectors' who provide them with the transportation to come to points in the cities where they seek charity and alms in the day and then go to their places of stay in the designated parts of the city by the 'beggars mafia'.
However, according to a household help, a woman of 45 years who does cleaning job in four houses during the day with her two daughters and son, stays connected with her husband and the households where she works part-time and uses the cell phone to assure the employers of coming for the cleaning job. Orders at the vegetable and meat market are also received by the retailers from the housewives.
Thus the overall situation at the lower income levels with working class families is an additional expense on mobile phones. Various estimates place the lower income and middle income groups now using mobile phone at over 50 million. However, the availability of mobile technology to the poorer sections of the population while meeting one of their urgent needs to stay connected has also promoted the addition of a new expense in the form of keeping cell phones.