Indian villagers walk a dozen miles to charge cellphones

While we've even seen politicians in India text citizens pleading for votes come election day, some remote locales of the nation still don't have electricity -- but that doesn't mean those messages aren't being received. Reportedly, about 30 to 40 individuals living in a Dalit village some 50 miles from Sagar in Madhya Pradesh are trudging around 12 miles per day just to get their mobile phones juiced back up for the next 24 hours of yappin'. Unfortunately, there's no sign of electricity being piped out to this remote region in the not-too-distant future, but considering how handsets enable the aforementioned denizens to contact outsiders in case of emergency (or to pass along the latest gossip), it doesn't look like they'll be ditching the hike anytime soon.

[Via OnlyGizmos, image courtesy of Temple]

[Jeremy K. @ Dec 23rd 2007 10:27PM]

Forget about water, I need my cellphone!

[Flashpoint @ Dec 23rd 2007 10:42PM]

THANK YOU Call Again !

[paul34 @ Dec 24th 2007 12:03AM]

Sorry, I have to text my BFF Priya

[David @ Dec 23rd 2007 10:28PM]

Someone should get these poor people a few solar cells. But then the walk will probably help them live long enough to see electricity installed.

[Jeff @ Dec 23rd 2007 11:56PM]

How about those hand-cranked charging devices? or better yet, have someone hop on a stationary bike and generate some power !

[Taz @ Dec 23rd 2007 10:31PM]

I wonder why Nokia has never released a phone for developing markets?
I picked up 3 x wind-up LED flashlights at Home Depot last night... 30 seconds winding produces 30 minutes of light. How hard would it be to shove the same mechanism on a phone?
Heh... infact, you could attach it to an old rotary dial, so you'd have a retro look AND never need to charge it ;)

[Game_playa @ Dec 24th 2007 12:25AM]

I just moved to the US 2 years ago from India/Pakistan Area and all they use there are Nokia( which controls the market) or Sony Erricson( less control) so Nokia is the most used there

[nithish89 @ Dec 23rd 2007 10:31PM]

That my frenz is cos the service provider dont charge exorbitant bills... !!!!

[zamboni @ Dec 23rd 2007 10:33PM]

They should pitch in and buy a generator and establish a charging hour for all villagers.

Solar panels cost a lot of money and the sun fails to show up sometimes.

[McYoda @ Dec 23rd 2007 10:35PM]

Why can the villages buy a portable generator charge all their cell phones.

[paul34 @ Dec 23rd 2007 11:12PM]

Well, someone still is going to have to walk to get a few gallons - rather, several liters - of gas (sorry, petrol) or diesel to fuel the generator. Generators aren't really all too fuel efficient (relatively speaking), so I imagine they'd go through quite a bit of fuel doing it.

It's probably a lot cheaper to snag some municipal electricity than generator your own, even if the cost is distributed among the villagers.

[Sauerkraut @ Dec 23rd 2007 10:36PM]

Good exercise.

[gfunk @ Dec 23rd 2007 10:39PM]

I feel so lazy now... my cell phone has been off for 2 hours because I don't want to get off my couch. 12 miles a day? f' that...

[Josh @ Dec 23rd 2007 10:40PM]

I wonder how they elect the guy who has to walk 12 miles to charge their phones...

pretty crappy to get the short stick electing you cell-walker for the next 10 years...

[robotrock @ Dec 23rd 2007 10:45PM]

someone really needs to get some solar or hand crank chargers out to them

[Sunjay @ Dec 23rd 2007 10:46PM]

"Thank you come again."

for Taz since he is ignorant of the facts:

Nokia announces 1110i for "first time users"
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/06/19/nokia-announces-1110i-for-first-time-users/

Nokia announces new phones for emerging markets
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/03/31/nokia-announces-new-phones-for-emerging-markets-2610-1112-and/

Nokia busts out new low-end fleet
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/05/03/nokia-busts-out-new-low-end-fleet/

Stop ignorance now before it leads you to vote for Hillary!

[bvocal @ Dec 23rd 2007 10:47PM]

new, cheap, simple, solar chargers
If I was a powerball winner I would hook them up. Cost me a few hundred... big deal.

[Peter Dworkin @ Dec 23rd 2007 11:01PM]

The Dalit are finally getting some compensatory treatment from the Indian Government (we refer to the Dalit as the Untouchable Caste, and they have suffered much. Perhaps they will be granted some rural electric development.

[Bernhard @ Dec 23rd 2007 11:07PM]

I would say getting a new handphone with longer standby time and playing less snakes might be more effective...

[ZeroCorpse @ Dec 23rd 2007 11:09PM]

I bet they're using half the charge on the walk back from charging them.

"Yes. I have charged the phones. Boy, this is a long walk. So how are you..?"

[DAvid Relan @ Dec 23rd 2007 11:16PM]

How about hooking up a few batteries to a bicyle and pedalling a few hours daily to generate good clean power. I wish I could make that a reality for them.

[TheCow5 @ Dec 23rd 2007 11:25PM]

are they sloking pot! because if they are not they have an excuse to start.
you have got to be kidding me.

[LotteryLoser @ Dec 23rd 2007 11:30PM]

And while he's at it, he can pick up some JOB 1.5's. Works out perfect.

[SNL @ Dec 23rd 2007 11:33PM]

Why wouldn't a hand crank generator work? Here's a $12 fix for a 12 mile problem. Done.. Next!

[Will @ Dec 23rd 2007 11:54PM]

Hello, (wheeze), this is Dell Technical Support, (wheeze), how can I help you?

[Will H. @ Dec 24th 2007 12:49AM]

struth.

[Rahul @ Dec 24th 2007 2:52PM]

after 2-3 yrs when u r economy is dead, you will be applying for a job there ( India/China ), then well hear some wheezing.
Then we'll own the dollar."wheeze"

[Derwin @ Dec 23rd 2007 11:59PM]

i wonder if you could connect some kind of mechanism to one's leg that generates charge as they walk. i would definitely carry around that sort of device.

[D.S. @ Dec 24th 2007 12:16AM]

Forgive me, I have to!

"Can you hear me now?"

...

"Good!"

[uhh @ Dec 24th 2007 12:23AM]

Assuming they walk at the speed of an average human (3 MPH), it would take a person approximately 4 hours to trek 12 miles to the charge station. They would then have to wait there for the cell to charge up which takes approximately 1-3 hours after which they would make the return trip taking another 4 hours. Nine to eleven hours? That's an 8AM to 5PM/7PM day. They must play a whole lotta Bejeweled to justify that journey.

[evo @ Dec 24th 2007 5:34AM]

I'm sure not every phone owner is walking that distance. I assume one guy is walking the phones and charging them to make a little money.

[Dominic @ Dec 24th 2007 2:16AM]

So let me see if I can get this straight. They have to walk 12 miles to charge their cell phones at an electric outlet, but they have cell phone service in the area with no electricity? In my small area I believe we only have maybe 3 or 4 towers..another one currently being installed as of a few weeks ago..and when I drive to my home from it..literally less than a mile away I only get two bars. So they can offer electric lines for the actual towers, but not maybe one outlet for the village? Or are we talking about satellite phones here?

[khamel @ Dec 24th 2007 2:19AM]

if the phones are primarily used for emergencies then i doubt they are using the phones all that often. the 12 mile trek is probably once or twice a week. some kid probably wakes up at 4 am, gets there for breakfast and starts charging. after lunch he heads back. its either charging the phones or uh ... working? i'd rather walk and watch a bollywood movie while i wait for the phones to charge.

[khamel @ Dec 24th 2007 2:21AM]

i have a feeling its an awkwardly worded sentence. im sure that some villager walks back and forth each day but probably not the same people each day (i just went back to read it).

[tamoghno @ Dec 24th 2007 2:49AM]

yeah , there's plenty of movies(both bollywood & hollywood) available in india each for less than $.50 for CD or $.75 for DVD (which contains 3 to 6 movies) !

i am a proud indian.

fcuk you MPAA ... try to sue 100 billion people , show us your guts !

[Taylor @ Dec 24th 2007 3:25AM]

The telemarketers are *THAT* desperate that they'll walk 12 miles to call you up and ask you if you'd like to change your phone plan.

[tb @ Dec 24th 2007 3:49AM]

you probably don't need to go everyday if you don't use it

[tehpyro @ Dec 24th 2007 4:18AM]

Someone needs a really long extension cord!

[mark lee @ Dec 24th 2007 4:44AM]

I wonder how much they are paying for the cell phones and the services, because I've seen some portable/compact solar panels at Fry's and REI that cost no more than $100 and are capable of charging cell phones. I'm sure that's within their budget if they can afford cell phone service... Since India has no shortage of sunlight I think the device will work efficiently.

Can somebody let them know that these devices are available (at least in the U.S.)? I'd be more than happy to help them purchase the panels if they can's find it in India.

[CB @ Dec 24th 2007 4:47AM]

Let's get real here, for a start the low end phones last for weeks on standby ,also they probably make use of the trip for other reasons, you-know shopping and that.
You can imagine the conversations though
'Could you please be hurrying up, this call is costing me 0.25 watts a minute'

[mark lee @ Dec 24th 2007 4:49AM]

if they can't find it, I meant.

[Jack @ Dec 24th 2007 7:31AM]

At least they r not crazy about the iPhone.

[CapnVan @ Dec 24th 2007 7:33AM]

For all of those going nuts over this walking thing: In the developing world, most people walk considerable distances - for work, for food, for services. However, the suggestion that they necessarily walk the whole way is ludicrous. Almost certainly, these people do what everyone else does in the developing world - they hitchhike.

[Rahul @ Dec 24th 2007 2:35PM]

This silly article again exemplifies teh arrogance of Americans, trying to create hysteria ( aka money ) by writing such articles. Currently all villages in India have electricity, if you read todays NY times, INdia will exceed the US in total no of cell phone users, eventually economy wise.
Please egt the facts clear before posting such crap.

[Rahul @ Dec 24th 2007 2:55PM]

after 2-3 yrs when u r economy is dead, you will be applying for a job there ( India/China ), then well hear some wheezing.
Then we'll own the dollar."wheeze"

[Markus @ Dec 24th 2007 3:26PM]

Some kind of Gilligan's Island treadmill generator/charging system would be apt here.

[cherie @ Dec 24th 2007 4:33PM]

Nothing better than hearing a place with no electricity has cell phone service. I live 3 hours from NYC and can't get a cell phone connection to save my life within 20 minutes of my house.

[Rocketboy @ Dec 26th 2007 8:28AM]

Oh, they probably just need laptop computers. That will solve everything.

[Goodsvandi @ Dec 27th 2007 8:14AM]

hmmm... Since nobody seems to have brought it up.. Here's how Iunderstand it would work.

Some guy leaves for the "Town" 7 pm, gets there at 11 pm, gets the phones charged, leave back for village at 5 am and is back at 9 am. Now, you only have to make sure that once your relative or a village friend lives in the "Town".

There you have it... now if you excuse, its 10 to 7 and I have to prepare for a walk..

[Goodsvandi @ Dec 27th 2007 8:14AM]

hmmm... Since nobody seems to have brought it up.. Here's how Iunderstand it would work.

Some guy leaves for the "Town" 7 pm, gets there at 11 pm, gets the phones charged, leave back for village at 5 am and is back at 9 am. Now, you only have to make sure that once your relative or a village friend lives in the "Town".

There you have it... now if you excuse, its 10 to 7 and I have to prepare for a walk..