XML Template (2012) [19.10.2012–4:08pm] [323–342] //blrnas3/cenpro/ApplicationFiles/Journals/TandF/3B2/RJIC/Vol04103/120025/APPFile/TF-RJIC120025.3d (RJIC) [INVALID Stage] Journal of Intercultural Communication Research Vol. 41, No. 3, November 2012, pp. 323–342 Small and Even Smaller Circles: The Size of Mobile Phone-Based Core Social Networks in Scandinavia and South Asia Rich Ling, Geoff Canright, Johannes Bjelland, Kenth Engø-Monsen, & Pa ˚ l Roe Sundsøy 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. Keywords: Mobile Com; Cross Cultural Research; Social Network Analysis; South Asia (Received 17 October 2011; final version received 21 February 2012) Rich Ling is a Professor at IT University of Copenhagen and also works with the research group in Telenor. He has examined the social consequences of mobile communication. He received his PhD from the University of Colorado and has worked at The University of Michigan. Geoff Canright works as a Research Scientist at the Telenor Group, Research & Future Studies. He has worked on self-organized networks, Web link analysis, and social network analysis—the latter based primarily on mobile phone data. Johannes Bjelland is a Research Scientist in the department of Research and Future Studies in Telenor Group. Current research interests are mainly within data mining and social network analysis. His academic background is MsC in computational Physics from NTNU in Norway and LTH in Sweden. Kenth Engø-Monsen is a Research Scientist at the Telenor Group, Research & Future Studies. His interests are focus on social network analysis, network economics and analysis. He has more than 10 years of experience in the research functions of the Telenor Group, and a PhD in computer science from the University of Bergen (2000). Pa ˚l Sundsøy is working as a Research Scientist at the Telenor Group, Research & Future Studies. Sundsøys work is aimed at Predictive analysis and research on large- scale social network analysis based on mobile communication data. He is holding a Msc in Physics and Mathematics from NTNU, Norway, and UNSW, Australia. Correspondence to: Rich Ling, ITU, Rued Laanggards vej 7, Copenhagen, Denmark. Email: rili@itu.dk ISSN 1747-5759 (print)/ISSN 1747-5767 (online) ß 2012 World Communication Association http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17475759.2012.728774