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Among the communication technologies introduced in the developing world during the past century, none has grown more rapidly than mobile telephony.Yet the impact of mobile phone use on social relationships has received limited systematic study. This article examines the factors associated with mobile phone usage in the south Indian state of Kerala and the social structural consequences of such usage, particularly the composition and location of the social ties maintained through mobile technologies. Bivariate analysis of mobile phone usage and network composition shows that frequent users have fewer local ties and more external ties than non-frequent users. However, these effects are due largely to the association of email and mobile phone use. The article shows that internet use increases, while mobile phone use decreases the geographical diversity of social ties. The implication is that mobile telephony and internet technologies may have different consequences for the globalization process.

AbstractInformation and communication technologies (ICTs) have become the panacea for development for many developing countries in the modern, knowledge‐based world. Kerala, a state in India known for its model of development, has not only joined this bandwagon but has also selected ICTs as a means to pull the state out of its present crisis. The paper examines the institutions of knowledge production in Kerala (academic and scientific sectors), which are generally the forerunner of other sectors in terms of their use of ICTs. We examine the extent to which ICTs have affected research communication and collaboration, the processes, which are crucial in developing a knowledge‐based economy. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.