The GSM standard: explaining a success story

The study offers an in-depth analysis of the Groupe Spécial Mobile (GSM) standard, a network compatibility standard for digital cellular mobile telecommunications in Europe. It highlights the central role played by governance in securing the successful adoption of GSM in Europe, detailing the complex coordination process among an arrayof actors, private and public, at different levels. The study concludes by showing the striking difference between the European experience and the non-cooperative process of adopting digital mobile standards in the United States.