Mobile Communications: Theories, Data, and Potential Impacts a Longitudinal Analysis of U.S. National Surveys

This paper examines the extent to which ownership of mobile communications is related to demographic variables and/or functionality needs. The study draws on data from seven national mail or telephone random surveys carried out during the period 1993-5 and totaling over 10,000 respondents. We found that the key determinants of mobile communications ownership were household income, race/ethnic background, need to be in touch and social/work mobility. Further, we found that those owning a cell phone plus a pager, those owning only a pager, and those owning only a cell phone had quite different demographic characteristics. While no longer a “rich man’s toy”, ownership of the cellular telephone is, nevertheless, still associated with the more affluent. Two important variables, gender and feelings of overload, did not appear to have any explanatory power. We speculate that ownership of mobile communications is determined more strongly by location effects, for example, need to be in touch or being highly mobile, than by gender. Regarding feelings of overload, we found no evidence that ownership of mobile communications generates feelings of overload, controlling for other variables.