Demographics, Social Networks, and Mobile Phone Usage: Introduction and Take up of Community Cellular Networks in the Philippines
Niall Keleher
In the context of remote locations of the Philippines, I investigate the determinants of cellular network adoption. I leverage unique circumstances where all households in seven localities were interviewed before the installation of cellular network towers. I link rich socio-economic as well as social network data with call detail records from the initial months of cellular network service to shed light on the drivers of network usage. The results contribute to the literature on cellular networks by revealing household-level characteristics that should be taken into consideration as “last-mile” ICT interventions are considered.
Niall Keleher is a Ph.D. student at the School of Information. His research focuses on the intersection of development economics, ICTD, social network analysis, and the use of new methods of data collection.
Niall has ten years of experience conducting randomized evaluations and primary data collection in developing countries. He is an avid runner and cross-country skier. Niall was born in Burlington, Vermont, holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University, MPA in international development from Harvard University, and has lived in Italy, Ecuador, and Malawi.
