ABSTRACT
It may seem banal to start yet another presentation on the uses and meanings of a digital communication technology with the notion that it has, within a short period of time, become omnipresent and important. 1 There is, however, nothing banal about the impact of mobile communication devices as tools for personal use, and across levels in society (institutions, systems, citizens) and levels of interpersonal relations. The potentials of the mobile phone are to be distinguished at several levels of functionality and meaning: One level is the technological solutions on the market; another is the level of diffusion and integration. At the level of use and meaning, the personal ownership of the mobile phone provides direct, personal access to individuals. The user achieves instant access to information on broadly perceived news from ‘the world’ and from social network/relations. Through practical interconnectedness, meaningful at the level of micro-coordination as well as at a symbolic level, the mobile phone enhances development and maintenance of social relations, cultural practices, and psychological identity. Finally, the mobile phone functions and has an impact in addition to and as an expansion of other media.
