They could be only a phone call away.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11492427

/// A woman living in sub-Saharan Africa is 23% less likely than a man to own a mobile phone, ///

Now there's a fact you didn't know isn't it?

So Mrs Blair along with Mrs Clinton aims to provide 150 million women around the world with access to mobile phone technology.

I bet there are many of Britain's OAPs that would find a completely free mobile phone service a boom?
.

[Gromit]

British OAP women can go to a mobile phone shop and usually get a 'free' phone when they buy a tariff.

[ummmm]

The people form the older generation that I know don't turn there phones on.

[123everton]

They'll be wanting electricity next, lol.
I think you'll find they're the phones we throw away.

[craft1948]

A few years ago BT did a feasibilty study on providing an independent telecoms network in India....then they realised no-one (except for the rich) could afford to use it.

[123everton]

With financial nous like that at B.T, no wonder the country's broke.

[craft1948]

True everton.........I was at the lower end of the project and thought it was madness from the start...

[McMouse]

Does this mean we'll be getting even more texts and stuff from Nigeria offering riches in return for...............

[rojash]

"The people form the older generation that I know don't turn there phones on. "

The people from the older generation that I know, can spell "their".

[sandyRoe]

An OAP could buy a mobile in Argos for a tenner.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

It is no only OAP women, anyone can, if they can afford the tariff.

[ummmm]

Rojash....Pathetic. Surely you have better things to do than look for spelling mistakes.

[anotheoldgit]

You've got a very good point there McMouse.

[craft1948]

I'm an OAP and never switch my mobile off.........having said that I only seem to get dirty text messages.

[anotheoldgit]

To Gromit, sandyRoe

Do you two actually read the whole question?

/// I bet there are many of Britain's OAPs that would find a 'COMPLETELY FREE' mobile phone service a boom? ///

[123everton]

I would imagine most O.A.Ps get free phones off their family members, my Mum used to get mine until I bought her one on a £20 a month tariff.

[sandyRoe]

A free mobile phone would be a boon to anyone. Are Mrs Clinton and Mrs Blair going to provide a free service?

[Gromit]

AOG

I can see nothing in the article that says they plan to supply // a completely free mobile phone service //.

The mobile phone companies have pledged a lot of money, but they have not said the service will be free.

[anotheoldgit]

How else do they think people who can hardly afford to feed themselves an their families would be interested in a mobile phone service if they had to pay for it?

[Gromit]

If they got our donated cast off phones, and if the mobile companies subsidised the calls a little, that is what the mWomen initiative is aiming for, NOT offering a free service to 300 million women.

If you can bear to watch the Cherie Blair footage (I don't blame you if you haven't had the courage so far) she does not say it will be completely free.

[Coobeastie]

My mum's mobile costs a couple of quid a month...they really aren't that expensive to buy.