Hit Me with a Missed Call: The Use of Missed Calls at the Bottom of the Pyramid

Deliberate missed calls: A meaningful communication practice for seniors?

“…Seniors using DMC in the sample correspond to a diversity of profiles, from sophisticated users who utilize deliberate missed calls to make the most of communications through their mobile phones, to one basic user who just follows basic instructions because she is almost illiterate and barely knows how to use the phone. These results are in line with the fact that DMC use is widespread among different social strata, as well as among different age groups and genders (Fjuk et al, 2008; Sivapragasam et al, 2008) in societies where it is a significant practice, as in Catalonia. Most of all, when DMC responds to a previously agreed behavior, participant seniors enthusiastically explain how they use them.…”

“…The first two categories can be considered instrumental uses, while the third one corresponds to expressive communication. In low resource contexts, although it is mainly perceived as a low-income-group practice, empirical evidence shows that it is widespread among different social strata, as well as among different age groups and genders (Fjuk, Furberg, Geirbo, & Helmersen, 2008; Sivapragasam et al, 2008).…”

“…They have no cost for either the sender or the receiver, and in most cases a meaning must be agreed upon in advance. This practice goes by several different names, including beeping, flashing, menancing, pranking, fishing or boom call (Castells, Fernández-Ardèvol, Linchuan Qiu, & Sey, 2006, p. 66; Donner, 2008; Sivapragasam, Zainudeen, & Ratnadiwakara, 2008). I propose the term deliberate missed calls (DMC), which incorporates the intention of the practice.…”

“…DMC appeared as an innovative communication practice that was, and still is, popular among younger users. This multiregional, multicultural practice (Sivapragasam et al, 2008) is used for instrumental and expressive purposes (Geirbo & Helmersen, 2008; Donner, 2008). Kasesniemi (2003) and Oksman & Turtiainen (2004) were among the first authors to describe it in Europe.…”

“…Kasesniemi (2003) and Oksman & Turtiainen (2004) were among the first authors to describe it in Europe. It is also a prevalent communication system in low resource contexts, and while most of the evidence refers to Africa the practice is also present in Asia and Latin America (for a summary, see Donner, 2008; and Sivapragasam et al, 2008). In these contexts DMC are used both in the private sphere and in the business sphere (Donner, 2008; Sey, 2011).…”