Saying it all in 160 Characters: Four classes of SMS conversations

Past research into the uses and practices of mobile phone text messaging (SMS) focuses on the user groups of teenagers and claim that research into this group can inform us about design of future communication technologies. By studying another user group and relating SMS to PC based instant messaging, we gain insight into more complex use entering the work sphere. In addition to most of the findings similar to the previous studies, we find, firstly, that SMS use supplies users with a comforting social presence while it aids to control negative associations with availability. Secondly, SMS changes our group’s lifestyle and behavior to a much higher degree than other communication technologies. On the basis of these findings we present a model separating between four types of communication facilitated by SMS. The model describes the novel aspects of instant text communication and aims to inform the design of future communication technologies.