3G Mobile: The Push to Wireless Data across Europe

As governments and firms rush to third generation ‘3G’ mobile telecommunications, this article considers three key problems: the conflict over 3G standards, which pits European GSM equipment against a US group; the patchwork of 3G regulation across Europe; and the mechanism for awarding licences. The authors argue that the auction mechanism is far preferable for consumers to ‘beauty contests’ but that other countries still to award licences …