Achieving high momentum in the evolution of wireless infrastructures: The battle over the 1 G solutions

In this paper we examine the design of the first wireless systems as infrastructure making. An infrastructure is fundamentally a relational concept. Accordingly, we shall analyze how relationships between entrepreneurs, system builders and regulators were organized so that some early wireless systems achieved a high momentum. In high momentum, a technological system seems to drive toward a specific direction with a certain autonomy and this demands that technological, economic, political and social challenges be integrated effectively into the overall design. Such an integration can only succeed through an effective mobilization and coordination of both systems builders' and other stakeholders' (entrepreneurs, and regulators in particular) concerns. We analyze five cases of building first-generation wireless solutions and examine to what extent specific relationships between key actors influenced whether these systems did achieve a high momentum. Our analysis shows that managing critical relationships with regulators, correct timing, and effective and continuous meshing of both entrepreneurs' and technologists' concerns were typical for systems that achieved high momentum. In all successful cases, the meshing and associated institutional response demanded the creation of an open standard. These include both AMPS/TACS family of standards, and especially the Nordic NMT standard.