We discuss the adoption of information and communication technologies in the context of urban slums in Mumbai. We are conducting ethnographic research amongst ICT-based business like mobile phone stores and services, cyber cafes, PC assembling units and computer training institutes.

Through in-depth understanding of informal business networks we are mapping;

• the demand for and usage of the internet/mobile internet, mobile phones and PCs in low-income settings
• the business ecology of mobile phone repair and servicing and PC assembling
• the dissemination of ICT skills and adption

We are presently working in two suburban Mumbai slums in Dharavi and Behram Baugh.

Research interns: Srikanth Yamsani,Sumitra Nair,Ashwini Shelke,Raj Kumar Rath

Publications

Rangaswamy, N. & Sambasivan, N (2011), Cutting chai, Jugaad, and Here Pheri: Towards a UbiComp for a Global community, Personal and Ubiquitous Computing 15(6) PP 553-564

Rangaswamy, N. & Nair, Sumitra (2010) The Mobile Phone Store Ecology in a Mumbai Slum Community: Hybrid Networks for Enterprise, Information technology and International Development 16(2) PP 51-65

Rangaswamy N and Nair Sumitra (2010) ‘The PC- aided Enterprise and Re-cycling ICT: An ICT for D Story?’, ICTs and Development : An International Workshop for Theory, Practice, Policy, 11-12 March 2010, New Delhi

Rangaswamy N, Nair, S, (2009)The Mobile Phone Store Ecology in a Mumbai Slum Community: Hybrid Networks for Enterprise, AiOR09Mobile Phones and the Developing World Pre-Conference Workshop, 7 October 2009, Milwaukee

Sambasivan N, Rangaswamy N, Cutrell E, Nardi B, (2009) Ubicomp4D: Infrastructure and Interaction for International Development—the Case of Urban Indian Slums, 11^th International conference on Ubiquitous Computing, 30 September 2009 Orlando

Sambasivan N, Rangaswamy N, Toyama K, Nardi B, Encountering Development Ethnographically, forthcoming, ACM Interactions, November/December 2009

Rangaswamy, N (2009) The non-formal business of cyber cafes: a case-study from India, Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, 7(2/3)

Rangaswamy, N (2009) Keywords in Communication: Mesh-economy and business channels in an Indian urban slum, ICA 2009, pre-conference on India and Communication Studies, May 21 2009, Chicago

Rangaswamy, N (2009) ICT for Mesh-economy: Case study of an urban slum, IFIP 2009, May 26-28, Dubai

Rangaswamy, N (2008) Telecentres and Cyber cafes: The case for ICTs in small business, Asian Journal of Communication, 18(4) pp 365-378