dotMobi launches mobile web task force

Not-for-profit industry forum the dotMobi Advisory Group announced the formation of the Mobile Internet in Developing Countries task force, bringing together private and public-sector organizations to assess market requirements and service availability in developing countries, gauge localization strategies and regional partnerships, develop relevant business models, explore funding approaches and recommend mobile web best-practices. 

"Our mission for the Mobile Internet in Developing Countries task force is to make demonstrable improvements in communications by leveraging .mobi domains, open standards policies and best-practice solutions for the mobile web," said Michael J. O'Farrell, dotMobi Advisory Group chair and executive director. "According to the GSM Association's recent Universal Access study, mobile networks now cover 80% of the world's population. That number is expected to reach 90% by 2010. With this enormous infrastructure in place, the task force can ensure that mobile web solutions delivered to developing countries are localized, self-sustaining and relevant to each community with services ranging from culture to education to healthcare, climate, and commerce."

In addition, the dotMobi Advisory Group announced the addition of the Library of Congress, the U.S.'s oldest federal cultural institution and the world's largest library. "With more than 111 million Internet users accessing our content annually, the Library of Congress wants to ensure its media and content are also available to mobile Internet users around the globe," said Kevin Novak, Library of Congress manager of web services and dotMobi Advisory Group Task Force chair.

For more on the dotMobi Task Force:
- read this release [1]

Related articles:
MMA and dotMobi [2] sign alliance
Visa invests in dotMobi [3] for mobile payments
Opera CEO: dotMobi [4] a "total waste of time"
dotMobi [5] updates Web Developer Guide