Thursday April 28th, 4:00pm-6:00pm, in
Room ASC-328 (Annenberg School for Communication, USC)

International observations reveal interesting patterns of transition between “generations” of mobile services. For example, different regions emerged as the leaders of first, second, and third generation wireless, with the U.S. leading analog services, Europe (at least initially) taking the lead in digital services, and South East Asia in mobile data and Internet services. The presentation will employ a conceptual framework rooted in evolutionary theory. It examines technology, policy, business decisions, user behavior, and cultural attributes as co-evolving factors that jointly explain the historical patterns. This approach is then utilized to analyze the present transitions toward mobile data services, including 3G, WiFi, and WiMax. Examples and empirical data will mainly be drawn from a comparison of the European Union and the United States, with some complementary information on South East Asia.

From this analysis, a new narrative as to the comparative development of mobile services emerges, placing more emphasis on path dependence and the existence of institutional conditions that facilitate different platforms than on deliberate policy design. For example, the European model worked reasonably well in 2G services but the “grand vision” approach was much less suited to the 3G environment with its higher degree of technological complexity and market risk. In comparison, the United States chose a less directed approach to 2G which resulted in an initial lag vis-à-vis Europe. In 3G services, the United States adopted a more organic approach, which seems to be more appropriate for the specific challenges of these markets. In addition to the direct and indirect effects on the 3G markets, these policy decisions also have repercussions for the emerging mobile data markets, which are explored in the presentation.

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Johannes M. Bauer is a Professor in the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media at Michigan State University . He is also the Executive Director of the Quello Center for Telecommunication Management and Law at Michigan State University . He joined Michigan State University in 1990 after receiving his doctorate in economics from the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, Vienna , Austria . From 1993 until 1998 he directed the Institute of Public Utilities and Network Industries at the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management at Michigan State University . Dr. Bauer taught and researched as a visiting professor at the Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands (2000-2001) and in Beijing , China (2002). His research covers a wide range of issues related to the evolution of communications and information industries, in particular the design and effect of public policies towards these industries, and business strategies in network industries. He is presently working on a book on the challenges of governing advanced information and knowledge infrastructures. He can be contacted at Michigan State University, 409 Communication Arts and Sciences, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1212, USA, phone +1-517-432-8003, fax +1-517-432-8065, email bauerj@msu.edu, Internet http://www.msu.edu/~bauerj or http://quello.msu.edu.