Human resource constraint is an important problem for both remote and resource-poor haematology laboratories to deliver a service to support the clinical and health interventions. The issues include timely access to expert opinion for diagnosis and advice, and local capacity building through staff upskilling. Use of telecommunication technologies particularly the internet provides an opportunity to address this problem, but the setup cost for dedicated systems is usually high. The effective use of a smartphone with a built-in camera and free apps available can overcome somewhat the budgetary constraint. The smartphone can be used as a scanner to capture written or printed information. When attached to the microscope through an inexpensive adaptor the smartphone can be used for static or video photomicroscopy. This allows data and images to be transmitted rapidly over the internet for distant consultation. When used with voice (and image)-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) apps and with a person at the referral site driving the microscope the inexpensive video photomicroscopy set-up can be used to scan a blood smear to complement the static images. The VOIP system can also be used for distant teaching and learning for staff upskilling.