Mobile ICTs and physical mobility: Review and research agenda

The question of the relationship between the spread of communication tools and the physical mobility of individuals is not new and arose with the arrival of the fixed telephone and, more recently, the development of the Internet and especially e-commerce. The extraordinary spread of individual, especially portable, communication tools like the mobile phone, has recently generated new interest in this topic in the fields of transportation economics, geography and sociology. This article discusses the main topics that have been explored, from the debate between complementarity and substitution to analyses in terms of interactions with the spatiotemporal organization of daily activities, the size and maintenance of social networks, and, finally, perception of travel and spaces. We then identify several issues that we think merit further exploration.

► We review literature about the relationship between ICTs and physical mobility.
► The debate between complementarity and substitution is limited.
► Mobile ICTs will gradually enrich our spatial and temporal practices.
► We have to question the potential changes in the spatio-temporal nature of trips.
► Conversely mobility influences the extent to which ICT usage alters lifestyles.