Small and even smaller circles: The size of mobile phone-based core social networks in Scandinavia and South Asia

Previous research in developed countries has shown that mobile phone users call and text to a relatively small circle of people. Research from the Global South indicates that core network size is often larger than in the developed world since the logistics of daily life require extended informal logistics. This suggests that the core social network, as seen in the use of mobile voice and texting, will be larger in developing countries than in developed countries. This is tested using mobile phone log data from Norway, Malaysia, Thailand and Pakistan. A total of 4000 subscribers and their "one hop" social networks (approx. 80,000 links) were examined. The results show that the core mobile phone-based networks are not larger in developing countries. This indicates that cost, literacy and other cultural issues are significant when considering the question of core network size as seen in the use of mobile telephony.