3G mobile war Essay Example

3G mobile war Essay The one that we have all been waiting for 3rd generation mobile phone. The capabilities of phones have been put into broad-spectrum classes that have features (both real and proposed). Digital phones with broadband capabilities.THE BATTLE: WINNERS AND LOSERS!The UK is the first European country to auction off its 3G spectrum. The UK government auctioned off five licences to create the networks and to operate the enhanced mobile phone services. Billions of dollars more than expected for the UK and German governments, were raised, earlier this year. Thirteen bidders had driven up prices well beyond the original estimate of a total auction value of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5bn. The money may not all be forthcoming at once as the licence winners have the option of paying in instalments over the 20-year licence period, with half paid up front.Winning Bids after 150 rounds:Licence A: TIW à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4.384bnLicence B: Vodaphone à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5.964bnLicence C: BT à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4.030bnLicence D: One2One à ¯  ¿Ã‚ ½4.003bnLicence E: Orange à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4.095bnCombined value of leading bids: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½22.47bnThe PrizeThe next generation of mobile phones will make the wireless Internet a reality for the UK. Phones, watches and other handheld devices will be powerful enough to show video on demand.Experts say that within a couple of years, more people will be connecting to the Internet on the move than via a bulky personal computer.TELECOMS SECTOR STARVED OF CASHInvestors and banks are becoming increasingly aware about their exposure to telecoms firms. Their fears have been fuelled by a steady flow of bad news from the sector and a warning from the UK financial regulator. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is writing to chief executives of banks, warning against lending money to the telecoms sector. The warning came amidst concern that the banks are over-exposed to the sector.Telecoms firms worldwide have long been borrowing money from anyone willing to lend. The money has been inves ted in expensive infrastructure; the development of ever-smaller mobiles or it has been used to pay massive fees for mobile phone licences.The FSAs warning coincided with the many problems that many telecoms firms were revealing. Share prices are falling, difficulties finding finance to pay for the new 3G mobile phone project. Motorola issued a profit warning, but indicated that it was an industry wide problem.One senior banker blames the problems suffered by mobile phone companies on governments. They have pulled money out of the sector by forcing up the price of the 3G licences, and also may have weakened the firms by encouraging them to overbid. But shifting the blame does not remove the problem; many telecoms firms are running out of cash.The Bank of England has joined financial regulators in warning banks of the risk of heavy lending to telecoms companies. The warning, contained in the Banks latest six-monthly review, comes under light of the very high prices telecoms firms are paying for 3G mobile phone licences in the UK and Germany. The Bank noted the companies heavy financing needs and said returns were some way in the future.It said awareness of the risks involved in lending to the sector had risen and some but not all banks had started to monitor or limit their exposure to the sector. In an article on the review, the Bank said, One risk is that income generated from the new 3G technology may be lower than expected, and insufficient to service the borrowing.Major international banks have generally underwritten their borrowing. But, increasingly, the banks are becoming wary about underwriting such debts. They are concerned about being over-exposed to this cash hungry industry that is proving slow to deliver sufficient levels of profits.Even the big investors are now sharing this view with the banks. They are now cautious about technology stock in general and are now questioning whether the telecoms sector is still in vogue.There are also risks that th e handset technology may take longer than expected to develop and that 3G technology may become obsolete more rapidly than anticipated.In all cases, the main reason for investor concern has been the huge level of debt the companies have built up acquiring 3G mobile phone licences and in investing in new mobile, data and internet services.Even when market conditions were favourable, some analysts questioned the wisdom of spending so much money on services where revenue and profitability were so uncertain.TELECOMS FIRMS CAUGHT IN COSTS SPIRALAnalysts said that companies would have a hard time generating a return on their investments. Some of the companies involved appear to have come to the same conclusion and may try to pass on the cost to the consumer.BT is one company that is reported to be considering sell-offs to help cut the rising debt burden. It is considering floating its mobile phone units in under to unlock value and is also talking about the possibility of merging with a U S company.Vodafone with its à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½6bn bid now needs to generate some à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½600 each from a subscriber base of 10 million just to cover the auction cost. That ignores the investment requires to install, operate and market the new network.Analysts said that it could take many years to recoup the cost of the licence and the networks investments. Telecoms companies credit ratings, which are generally high, could also be knocked by the big debts being built up.Forrester Research says mergers and takeovers will be needed because 3G mobile phone services will not move into profit before 2013. It also says that the current generation of mobile phones is nearing saturation point in major markets. With fewer new consumers around, there will be fierce price wars to come. As this happens, operating profits will slide just at the time when huge sums are needed to build and market the next generation services.WHY IS 3G NECESSARY?All products on the market have a product lifecycle an d 3G are aware of this fact.The new 3G mobile phones are necessary for the next stage in development and advancement of the mobile phone. The operators feel that it is wanted and needed in the market place to satisfy new market demands. Evidence for these demands can be seen in the results of the questionnaire incorporated into this report (see page 7).WHO IS 3G AIMED AT?Segmentation information is aimed at directing the product at the right market and aiming to get the maximum output. 3G is aiming for more than one segment of the market. It is aimed at businesses and individuals, then it it is segmented again for paramount potential, looking at much more defined areas such as demographic: sex, age, and income, geographic: country, state and region, and psychographics: social class, lifestyle and personality.ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICAL ISSUESSensational headlines linking the use of mobile phones with brain tumours have failed to dent demand. Sales of protective radiation shields and ha nds-free sets, which reduce the amount of radio waves absorbed by the brain, have risen sharply. But research so far has not produced any hard evidence, and the mobile phone is just too useful to give up!The requirement to install a further 30,000 new masts to enable full coverage in the UK and provide a full service, is increasingly receiving public opposition. The public are concerned about the health and safety issues relating to these masts and feel that they do not want to have these blots on the landscape littered all over the countryside. But the fact is that these 30,000 new masks will need to be installed throughout urban areas and the countryside for 3G to happen and complete its mission by enabling the transmission of these signals. The building and erection of more mobile phone masts, under all the public pressure is giving cause for grave concern for mobile phone companies, as sites are becoming increasingly difficult to find. Therefore this is affecting the companies t hat are waiting for the new service to be put into practice in the UK and allow the widespread usage of 3G.Local authorities are also facing protests on similar grounds. Global Mobile Association (GSA), which represents the cell phone industry, is warning of rethought time limits and targets for 3G. GSA if fully aware that finding new sites is becoming more difficult and is hindering the implementation of the product. The government is also facing anger from the GSA as it is ha taken à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½6.5 billion in revenue for the 3G licences in Britain; whilst leaving the problems of finding mast sites for the licensees. The government seems unresponsive now that it has its money from the auction.COMPARISONS OF TWO EXISTING BUT DIFFERENT MOBILE PHONESComparisons are shown for the following 2.5 G mobile phone companies:COMPARISONS FOR:T MOBILEO2Talk PlanFree time 750All callsMonthly Chargeà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½13.99à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½40Standard minutes included(Per month)750 minutes off peakà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 35 ; x-network callsStandard call charges (peak and off peak time)40p/5p10p/5pOwn mobile network to same mobile network charges(Peak and off peak)40p/5p8pOwn mobile network to other mobile network call charges(Peak and off peak)50p/30p35pText message(SMS) free10p50 free text messages per month and then 12p per minute for extra text messagesCaller line identityYesYesCall forwardingYesYesCall waiting and call holdYesYes1471 Service (last caller)YesYesInternational roaming agreements on networksYes200As above and amount of countries serving104Connection costFreeSpecial offersYesYesPeak times700 am to 700 pm -Monday to Friday8.00 am to 7.00 pm -Monday to Friday ;Weekends midnight Friday to midnight SundayOff peak timesAt all other times except Bank HolidaysAll other times including Bank HolidaysItemised billingFreeà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.99 on all tariffsVoicemailFreeFreeTariff changeFreeRoll over minutesYesFax and dataYesFree phone 0800YesInformation servicesYesInternational optionYesAdditional handsetsà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½15 line rental charge @THE NEW MARKETING MIX OF 3GIt is imperative that the 3G operators do their market research in order to be successful with their marketing mix. Therefore 3G also needs to go back to basics to promote consumer confidence and in doing so will have to incorporate the four Ps:Product: CharacteristicsBrand namePackagingServices offered on the productPositions on the product lineAdditions to the product linePrice: Price levelsConsidering consumer responseAffect of sales volumeCompetitorsPrice changesPromotion: Advertising nature and content, frequency, reach of target audience and media selectionSales promotionPublicityPersonal sellingPlace: nature and type of wholesale and retail outletsGeographical coverageMark up policyTrade supportPhysical distributionSales force size, territories, sales quotas and role of personal selling.WHAT IMPLICATIONS ARE THERE FOR THE NEW MARKETING MIX?By manipulating the Marketing Mix precisely, 3G should be able to win over the consumer, thus promoting confidence in the market. Equally it is vital to find out whether the public wants a 3G phone (this will be revealed when the operators carry out their market research whilst they are conducting their new marketing mix). If they dont work hard to promote their product and convince the consumer, it could prove to be a very difficult and expensive lesson for the 3G operators (for both the operators and the consumers).MARKET RESEARCHA survey was conducted for potential consumers in order to gain information on what the public has already got and what it expects from the new 3G mobile phone. Below is a table of the questionnaire conducted and concluded by the results that were answered by 100 random members of the public.At Appendix 1, examples of the 3 G mobile phone questionnaires that were completed by members of the public are shown.3G MOBILE PHONERESULTS FROM QUESTIONAIREQuestion 1Gender: Male FemaleResults46% 54%Question 2Age:16/25 26/35 36/4 5 46/55 56/65Results49% 25% 15% 10% 1%Question 3Which of the following applies to you?Employed/Unemployed/Self Employed/Fulltime Education/otherResults46% 13% 2% 34% 5%Question 4Do you own a mobile phone?Yes NoResults79% 21%Question 5Are you happy with your existing mobile phone?Yes NoResults49% 52%Question 6Are you pay as you go?Yes NoResults66% 34%Question 7Are you on a contract?Yes NoResults34% 66%Question 8Which mobile company are you with?Results30% = Vodapone 16%=one2one 43%=Orange 11%=BTQuestion 9How much do you pay per month for your existing package?ResultsRanges: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½65Question 10Is cost a factor when purchasing a mobile phone?Yes NoResults89% 11%Question 11What would encourage you to change your existing phone to 3G?ResultsLow costs. More gadgets. Better deal. Free insurance/phone.Keep it simple/easy to operate.Question 12What are your expectations of 3G services?ResultsHigh technology. Too pricey. Too much confusing.Question 13If 3G provided you with a package that was consistent with your expectations, then how much would you be prepared to pay?ResultsWhat ever I can afford at the time. A reasonable price. Not too much more than present mobile phone.Question 14What services would you like to have?Email * Internet * Speed dialling * Free phone * cheaper tariff * Worldwide usage of phone * More flexible packages * Video/camera facility * Navigating (travel) * Accessible information * Free directory/customer services * Personal warning alarm (for security purposes) * otherANAYLISIS OF THE MARKET RESEARCH RESULTSOwnership of mobile phones, amongst adults living in the UK is half the population, this included the 16 25 bracket which contains the majority of teenagers; who say that they buy more mobile phones now since the introduction of Pay as you Go pre-paid packages into the market. This is largely due to the fact that minors cannot sign a contract necessary to have a monthly-billed phone and a pre paid package is the only viable option. It is also due to the introduction of mobile phones into teenage fashion. Certainly, in this bracket, 49% own a mobile phone. It was noticed that the56 65 bracket were not interested in advanced technology and the mobile phone, this could possibly be due to the generation difference.The majority of the population in the highest income bracket, own a mobile phone, this was expected due to the relative expense of mobile phones. The prices may have reduced over the years, but a relative number of the population still consider them too expensive to buy. www.forrester.com/research/list/lensCosts are also a major factor, consumers are more conscious of the price they pay and are unwilling to stand for large price hikes. Although teenagers are less conscious of price and are willing to tolerate price increases.Consumers were wary of the new 3G, concerned that it would be too technical to operate and too pricey. www.forrester.com/research/list/lensThe consumer would like to obtain most of the extras that the 3G would provide, such as navigator and Internet, but stressed that they didnt want to pay more than what they pay at present.My conclusion is that I perceive that the 3G operators are going to have to come up with some extremely convincing marketing strategies in order to persuade the future mobile phone consumer.THE CONSUMER ; THE CONCLUSIONIt is predicted that the average revenue per user from mobile Internet services will be 106 euros a year in 2005. Some analysts agree, saying many mobile phones are now in the hands of people, such as children, who will not use the phones enough to justify the companies continuing to subsidise the price of the handsets.However, a survey conducted by Siemens Ireland suggests that Irish mobile phone users would be prepared to pay as much as 63% more for 3G services including high-speed internet connections. This might indicate a brighter future for the revenue streams of operators offering 3G services than has p reviously been widely assumed.There are also varying opinions on the implications for consumers. Consumer take-up may be slow, with the consumer market for replacement phones generally seen as a product of fashion, not technology. Although some argue that providing users with a wide mix of services creates a more desirable product. But the companies have some way to go convince potential users that there are enough attractive and accessible services available to make it worth buying.Some analysts said that fresh competition in the market would keep prices low and new exotic services would soon emerge offering consumers more choice. But consumer groups sounded a note of warning, saying that the high cost of the licences would inevitably be passed on to the consumers.How much network operators charge for the services will determine demand. Also the argument goes that the mobile operators wouldnt have paid hand over fist for the licences, if they hadnt been sure of their future revenue .

Effects of Mobile Culture in Relational Maintenance and Behavioral Patterns

Effects of Mobile Culture in Relational Maintenance and Behavioral Patterns Mobile phone is critical in human communication due to its affordability, reliability, and connectivity. As the world steadily becomes a global village, communication experts have embraced mobile phone communication in providing communication solutions and enhancing interaction between socializing agents.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Effects of Mobile Culture in Relational Maintenance and Behavioral Patterns specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The prime principle is featured by interconnected holistic phenomenon. The conscientious citizenship need to perceive the global interrelationship with inclusive model of integration through phone culture. Therefore, the problem statement is which factors directly affect the mobile culture in relational maintenance and behavioral patterns in human communication environment? This reflective treatise attempts to explicitly applaud on the modes and behavioral patterns observed ac ross the gender divide and how the same can be related to mobile culture among socializing agents. These agents are drawn from different cultural divides, gender, age, and exposure. In order to comprehensively understand and interpreter the research question, the treatise reviews two previous literature on the topic by examining the article â€Å"IMing, Text Messaging, and Adolescent Social Networks† by Bryant, Sanders-Jackson, and Smallwood and the book, â€Å"Doing Cultural Studies† by Gay et al. Effects of Mobile Culture in Relational Maintenance and Behavioral Patterns The global mobile culture integration and its changing patterns has led to immense transformation of the world into a global village comprising of the current interdependent and networked of â€Å"global order†1. Though the world is marked by differences and identities that show how various endeavors of people, groups and communities affirmed their identities, the manifold layers of mobile cul ture concerning religion, gender, nationalism, class, ethnicity, and personal interests continues to define this century old means of encoding and decoding information. Literature Review The world is manifested with emergence of mass society in terms of social interaction, that is, mass culture, mass welfare, mass consumerism, mass communication, and numerical sense of unique population increase. Mobile culture is a shared means of interaction involving people who understand the various symbols of communication through use of mobile phones.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In order to understand the current research on this multi faceted topic, experimental study design is the best method to adopt since it inquires to establish whether an intervention had the proposed reasoned-impact on planned participants or not2. The aim of a culture is to build social work str ategy and practical matters, provide rapid support to social problems, sustain social programs to offer relevant resolutions to social crises in communities, hold up growth through promotion of education to tackle crucial life matters, and advance suitable relevance of new technology for performance of social work. Mobile phone communication industry is one of the fastest developing service industries in the entire world. Technological growth has enabled customers multiple access of information and entertainment services, and therefore has enhanced establishment of an intrinsic mobile culture. The article, â€Å"IMing, Text Messaging, and Adolescent Social Networks† by Bryant, Sanders-Jackson, and Smallwood dwell much on determinants of behavioral patterns in human communication. Through embracing maintenance strategy topology, the study identifies the aspects of self disclosure, positivity, and social networking as the assuring factors that promoted effectiveness of mobile c ultural modes used across the generational divide3. However, they fail to quantify the aspects of period of influence. Mobile Culture and Global Behavioral Patterns The global world is built with many diverse flows, that is, organizational interaction flow, capital flow, symbols, image and sound flow, technological flow and information flow. With an increasing global community, such flows are portrayed as extraordinary development in velocity, volume, and direction4. For instance, media flow has become diverse global audience that is a unique way of expressing information. Emergence of mobile phones offered an immediate solution for the need to maintain this velocity, volume, and direction. The global media is a multifaceted topography of multi-media, multi-vocal and multi directional flows.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Effects of Mobile Culture in Relational Maintenance and Behavioral Patterns specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Lear n More The propagation of satellites created by digital technology and the rising online communication have caused media firms to function in an enhanced transnational arena other than national dome; hence seeking and generating new customers globally. Establishment of mobile phones communication was a solution to this. However, the focus rarely matters in relation of media markets because producers perceive audience as primarily global consumers rather than local citizens. This change of nation-centric perception into international markets led to establishment of symbolic interaction among citizens who owned mobile phones. Mobile culture has generated professional occupations in the cultural and information industries5. The outsourcing of information for International Corporations has contributed to the momentum for establishment of significant global focus for creative industries. The operators of global media channels possess strong local presence through focus to get aud ience beyond their original local constituency. As a result, this is a subaltern flow of domestic ideas across the entire world has created an evolving geo-cultural and international networks facilitating the contra-flows of shared, internalized, and unique means of phone communication. Phone culture is important aspect in conserving cultural democracy; therefore the main aim of a nation is to provide broad alternative services to customers through enhanced privatization and liberalization. The international communication interaction has created diverse disjuncture that is beyond homogenized culture; it has also contributed to cultural ‘hybridity’ that is generated through the use of heterogonous media products to benefit domestic principles, languages and styles. For instance, mobile culture has exercised indirect domination over developing nations; politics and public perception of these nations. However, it has destabilized cultural sovereignty in many nations such a s Syria, Egypt, and Libya which have become states of anarchy. Before penetration of the mobile culture into the society, regionalization trend was perceptible in the development of domestic editions of magazines and newspapers, broadcast of television programs in domestic languages, and also in establishing local programming and domestic language websites6.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the last 20 years, mobile culture seems to have taken control of formal and informal communication. As a result, interaction with global cultures have provided diverse impacts since people need to filter and evaluate content products from heterogonous cultures to incorporate them with ideas that originate from domestic cultures when communicating7. Mobile Culture Integration and Its Changing Patterns Due to global interrelatedness, mobile phones opened the world and provided important features of globalization. However, global integration happened gradually for many centuries. Human evolving pattern involved various regional systems which promoted interaction. Reflectively, within the last century, mobile communication has replaced the traditional means of encoding and decoding messages. As a result, the whole process has become reliable and convenient. Apparently, mobile phone technology can be classified as the best miracle of the 21st century. By a click of a button, a Chinese student in Miami can communicate with parents back in Beijing. The diversity of media information only exists in the wider fresh liberal ideological agenda. Apparently, ideology of regionalization develops globalised perception which focuses on liberal democracy and market primacy. The mobile culture has emphasized on propagation of multilingual contents stemming from local creative hub. Adoption of deregulated, privatized and digital technology transmission network has contributed to enhanced flow of global media. Human population who lived in the twentieth century caused increase in mass community that was contributed by people’s interaction and movements for economic sustainability. All these implications were closely integrated that led to the rise of mass community. This immense transformation was an essential focus in the current society. Politics, youth culture, media, leisure and welfare are five distinctive features that are manifested in the modern phone culture so ciety8. Actually, mass society weakened traditional societal values; industrial revolution weakened aristocratic and traditional values. Mass phone culture is a society that has social, large scale and impersonal institutions. Identity and Difference Gradually human communities have become varied with great differences in beliefs, artifacts and languages of communication within the phone culture. Human cultures were comprehended based on symbols of various devices that people created. Such cultural icons lack boundaries and are marked with continues influx that compete and interact in each other9. For instance, messaging culture has created a ‘quarty’ culture among the youths across the globe. Special codes such as ‘LOL’ and ‘OMG’ have been internalized in the messaging culture and have universal meaning from America to Europe. In fact, messaging culture has transformed people who lived in remote areas; human interaction transforms people who a re perceived as barbarians and uncivilized10. There are many theories that justify possible pull factors of phone culture. Basically, these theories share sentiment on the fact that messaging culture has developed over a long period of interaction among people who share same thought patterns. Time is therefore an independent variable which fluctuates according to the period of interaction and share values of communicating people11. Messaging culture is actually influenced by dependent and independent variables in human activities. Findings The themes of mobile culture have brought ultimate query to prime of all historical world, particularly to the current globalization of mobile culture. Human interaction and sense of shared values has elevated visions of human society. Technological development particularly digitalization has discouraged governments from limiting imports of foreign media contents into local markets. Due to rising global interaction, the need of internationalizatio n, and easy communication accessibility, many nations are changing their regulatory policies, and therefore promoting their markets for global interaction which is responsible for the established mobile culture. The variety of cultural attributes embodied in messaging makes them a powerful medium through which to transmit cultural values and morals. Arguably, the world is experiencing a strong trend toward cultural globalization, and no one nation is immune from the influences of the cultures of other nations because mobile culture, in many respects, defies national boundaries. However, different cultures must be preserved and allowed to flourish, for it is a diversified global culture that benefits the worlds collective well being. Cultural diversification allows people to observe different views and attitudes, test their own biases, and learn from different experiences. Unrestricted homogenization of cultures should be avoided, and diversification of culture should be championed. Mobile culture that promotes National culture and local cultures should thus be protected by discriminating explicit and immoral communication. Conclusion From the literature review as indicated by the articles, the main factors that are associated with changed behavior due to mobile culture of communication are the aspects of social activeness, age, gender, purpose and relationship between the subjects communicating. Notably, it is apparent that cordial relationships would prefer assurance in use of mobile phones modes than casual acquaintances. Among the younger generation, that is adolescent and teenagers, use of mobile phones is highly influenced by confidence and social activeness. Therefore, in studying mobile culture, it is critical to factor in behavioral patterns noted in the above studies to create practical and reliable communication designs for reaching different gender, age, culture, and exposure. Bibliography Appadurai, Arjun. â€Å"Disjuncture and Difference in the G lobal Cultural Economy.†Ã‚  Public Culture 7, no. 2 (1990): 1-24. Bly, Van der. â€Å"Globalization and the Rise of One Heterogeneous World Culture: A Micro Perspective of a Global Village.† International Journal of Comparative Sociology, no. 48 (2007): 469. Gay, P., Hall, S., Janes, L., Mackay, H., and Negus Keith. Doing Cultural Studies: The Story of the Sony Walkman. London: Sage, 1997 Gerard, Goggin. Introduction: what do you mean‘cell phone culture’? in Cell Phone Culture. London and New York: Routledge, 2006 Jackson, A., Bryant, A., Smallwood, Anthony. â€Å"IMing, Text Messaging, and Adolescent Social Networks,† Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, no. 11(2006): 577–592. Mcchesney, Robert. New Global Media: The Global Transformations Reader: An Introduction to the Globalization Debate. Edited by Held Day. Cambridge: Polity, 2004. Sweetman, Paul, and Knowles Caroline. Picturing the Social Landscape: Visual  Methods in the Socio logical Imagination. New York: Routledge, 2004. Footnotes 1 Appadurai, Arjun. â€Å"Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy.† Public Culture 7, no. 2 (1990): 1-24. 2 Bly, Van der. â€Å"Globalization and the Rise of One Heterogeneous World Culture: A Micro Perspective of a Global Village.† International Journal of Comparative Sociology, no. 48 (2007): 469. 3 Jackson, A., Bryant, A., Smallwood, Anthony. â€Å"IMing, Text Messaging, and Adolescent Social Networks,† Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, no. 11(2006): 577–592. 4 Gay, P., Hall, S., Janes, L., Mackay, H., and Negus Keith. Doing Cultural Studies: The Story of the Sony Walkman. London: Sage, 1997 5 Gay, P., Hall, S., Janes, L., Mackay, H., and Negus Keith. Doing Cultural Studies: The Story of the Sony Walkman. London: Sage, 1997 6 Gay, P., Hall, S., Janes, L., Mackay, H., and Negus Keith. Doing Cultural Studies: The Story of the Sony Walkman. London: Sage, 1997 7 Gerard, Goggin. Introduction: what do you mean‘cell phone culture’? in Cell Phone Culture. London and New York: Routledge, 2006 8 Gerard, Goggin. Introduction: what do you mean‘cell phone culture’? in Cell Phone Culture. London and New York: Routledge, 2006 9 Mcchesney, Robert. New Global Media: The Global Transformations Reader: An Introduction to the Globalization Debate. Edited by Held Day. Cambridge: Polity, 2004. 10 Sweetman, Paul, and Knowles Caroline. Picturing the Social Landscape: Visual Methods in the Sociological Imagination. New York: Routledge, 2004. 11 Gerard, Goggin. Introduction: what do you mean‘cell phone culture’? in Cell Phone Culture. London and New York: Routledge, 2006