September 21st, 2008
Migrants, Not Geeks, Are the Early Adopters of Mobile Phones
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(Cross-posted at my fellowship blog — How Global Values Shape Communications Technologies)
According to Swisscom anthropologist Stefana Broadbent, migrants, not geeks, are the early adopters of mobile phones (The Economist1 via Putting People First2) —
It is migrants, rather than geeks, who have emerged as the “most aggressive” adopters of new communications tools, says Broadbent. Dispersed families with strong ties and limited resources have taken to voice-over-internet services, IM and webcams, all of which are cheap or free. They also go online to get news or to download music from home.
Various studies (by Pew Internet & American Life Project3 and Forrester Research4 amongst others) have shown that Hispanics are more active users of mobile phones, and especially mobile data services, than other ethnic groups in the USA (via San Fransisco Chronicle5 and Mobile Marketing Association6). This can be attributed to several reasons — economic (lower mean household income means that the mobile phone is often used as the main computer), demographic (family and friends are spread out across the United States and across the border), and cultural (a higher value is placed on staying in touch with family and friends).
