Wireless diffusion and mobile computing: implications for the digital divide

Despite significant improvements in nominal levels, severe gaps of digital inclusion still exist in the American economy. This paper argues that, for certain groups, migration towards mobile computing and digital inclusion may transpire from 2G voice centric mobile telecommunications to data centric mobile computing devices. Accordingly, this analysis employs a large data set to investigate what socio-economic factors are determinant for the diffusion of mobile telecommunications; how these findings can be extended to help close the digital divide; and how these findings can inform policy making concerning the digital divide. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.