Book Review: The Mobile Connection. The Cell Phone's Impact on Society

Mobile telecommunications such as voice telephony, SMS, WLAN (wireless local area network) technology, and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are being used by broader and broader sections of society. As a result of this increased usage (particularly for mobile-phone use), there is a small but growing body of research that indicates that the use of mobile communications is influencing how we go about our daily lives from both a social and economic perspective. For example, as mobile-phone usage increases, it is no longer unusual to see mobile phones being used in a wide variety of contexts (e.g., social, business) in various locations (e.g., trains, cafes). Wei and Leung (1999) found that the majority of calls being made by mobile-phone users take place on the streets, on public transport, in shops, and in restaurants. What is the social impact of mobile-phone use in public places and society in general? This is the question that Rich Ling sets out to investigate in his book The Mobile Connection: The Cell Phone's Impact on Society. Ling's book, through a detailed description and analysis of several studies, provides us with a valuable insight into how this relatively new form of technology is changing people's social dynamics in public life. In particular, he focuses on how the mobile phone can be used to create a sense of security for the individual, its use in what he calls the " micro-coordination " of everyday life, and the impact the mobile phone has had on the lives of teenagers. In addition , he raises the possibility that the mobile phone could be a disturbing influence in our public life (we all have experienced sitting next to someone on a train having a loud mobile-phone conversation) and takes a detailed look at the SMS communication phenomenon. The first two chapters of the book provide the reader with general background information on the growth of the worldwide mobile-phone market and also provide an