Village Phone Replication Manual: Creating Sustainable Access to Affordable Telecommunications for the Rural Poor

This manual is a how-to guide for setting up a Village Phone project based on the model pioneered by the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and later replicated in Uganda. According to the publication, the success of Village Phone replication in Uganda demonstrated that the Village Phone concept can be replicated and customised in countries where there are willing partners and strong support. Village Phone is a "methodology that creates a profitable partnership and a channel to market to bring telecommunications services to the rural areas of a developing nation."

The guide was designed to be applied and adapted in any context and country where a Village Phone initiative could help empower people and promote development. It draws on Grameen’s experience in both Bangladesh and Uganda and according to the publication, "establishes a template for creating sustainable initiatives that simultaneously bring telecommunications to the rural poor, create viable new businesses for microentrepreneurs, and expand the customer base of telecommunications companies." The manual aims to provide a practical and detailed set of instructions, templates, and lessons learned to assist with replication projects. This includes advice on business planning, identifying stakeholders, structuring the company and financing the project. It also discusses purchasing of equipment, conducting training, marketing, and sharing best practices. Case studies are also provided.