The Fragmentation of Standards in Mobile Digital Broadcast Carriers

Technology convergence, market divergence: fragmentation of standards in mobile digital broadcasting carriers

“…After the introduction of spectrum auctions as allocation procedure (contrasted with the previously favored ''beauty contest'' method of evaluating providers and technologies), this process has arguably sped up (Cramton 2002). But Qualcomm's quest for nationwide mobile television spectrum for its MediaFLO-based mobile digital broadcasting service demonstrates that the de facto temporal constraint to spectrum access is still very much existent in North America; it took nine years from policy was passed (in the ''Balanced Budget Act'' of 1997), releasing slices of 700 MHz spectrum for auctioning, until auctions were held (2002 and 2003) and Qualcomm had received all necessary waivers regarding interference from the FCC to actually be able to use their spectrum (FCC 2000;FCC 2006a, b) [see (Steen 2007) for a more detailed account].…”

Standardization and Business Models for Platform Competition

“…The second element is that consumption of mobile TV has a localized character. The majority of the content consumed, as well as the location in which it is consumed, can be expected to be situated within national or regional boundaries (Steen 2007). This explains to some degree the emergence of (often de facto or 'non-exclusive') regional 'standards' for mobile TV, e.g.…”