THE USE AND RELIANCE OF CELLULAR PHONES AS A PRIMARY COMMUNICATION DEVICE IN ZIMBABWE

Access to cellular phones as a primary communication device has wetted the appetite of most people both in the developed and developing countries like Zimbabwe. Statistics show that more individuals communicate with cellular phones than with any other device. Mobile is seen by many media analysts as its own medium with its own defining characteristics. The cellular phone has allowed not only talking, texting and blogging, but shopping, banking and reporting. Individuals are so dependent upon phones that the device has become critical in many aspects of everyday life. The mobile technology has empowered a global community of techno savvy consumers known as Generation C. Generation C is not defined by age or nationality, but by an insatiable appetite for all things digital. This discussion will present evidence of a global dependence on cellular phones, and what this means for educators, marketers, consumers and media practitioners.