Does Mobile Phone Usage Boost Productivity in Developing Countries?

The aim of this study is to assess the impact of mobile phone proliferation on productivity, using data from 73 low-income countries, from the period 2000-2016. The sample includes countries from Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Caribbean. The author\u27s findings show that holding all else constant, a 1 percent increase in mobile penetration rate boosts output per capita by 2.6 percent. These findings confirm there are increasing returns (network effects) to productivity associated with an increase in penetration rate. Results also show that the ease of doing business matters in low-income countries in that it influences the speed at which higher productivity is achieved