New Cellular Networks in Malawi: Correlates of Service Rollout and Network Performance

33 Pages Posted: 18 Dec 2010 Last revised: 28 May 2023

See all articles by Dimitris Batzilis

Dimitris Batzilis

Independent

Taryn Dinkelman

Dartmouth College - Department of Economics

Emily F. Oster

University of Chicago - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Rebecca L. Thornton

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Economics, Students

Deric Zanera

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: December 2010

Abstract

Cellular technologies have become increasingly important in the developing world; infrastructure for mobile networks has expanded dramatically over the past two decades giving access to remote areas without previous phone service. Despite this expansion, relatively little is known about the correlates of the rollout of cellular phone networks or the performance of these networks. Since the rollout of cellular networks has been largely spearheaded by an active private sector in telecommunications, how demand-side and cost-side factors affect the timing of rollout and quality of network service is of particular interest. In this paper we use new data to estimate the correlates of cellular phone access and network performance across rural areas of Malawi. We compile a dataset which combines administrative data of the entire cellular network of Malawi with geographic and Census data to describe the rollout and the performance of the cellular network measured by the dropped call rate. We find that both demand-side and cost-side factors are important in determining the timing of network access, while demand-side factors appear most relevant for the dropped call rate, one metric of network quality.

Suggested Citation

Batzilis, Dimitris and Dinkelman, Taryn and Oster, Emily F. and Thornton, Rebecca L. and Zanera, Deric, New Cellular Networks in Malawi: Correlates of Service Rollout and Network Performance (December 2010). NBER Working Paper No. w16616, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1727096

Taryn Dinkelman

Dartmouth College - Department of Economics ( email )

Hanover, NH 03755
United States

Emily F. Oster

University of Chicago - Department of Economics ( email )

1126 East 59th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Rebecca L. Thornton

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Economics, Students ( email )

Champaign, IL
United States

Deric Zanera

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

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