I've been following the technology developments in the cell phone market for a long time. It's fascinating to watch it develop.
Europe took an early lead in the technology with the GSM technology. Here in the U.S., we let a variety of technologies duke it out. At first, it looked like the Europeans were smart in mandating a single continent-wide system. This let them use the same phones everywhere. Here in the U.S. our various systems didn't interoperate as well.
Well, our more chaotic approach is now proving out. Because we didn't pick a winner, the various technologies competed and improved and Europe ended up being stuck.
Steven Den Beste, an engineer in the cellular industry, has a detailed essay on this struggle and how the American approach has turned out to work much better.
Advantage America.
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