DP4659 Platform Competition in Telecommunications

Author(s):	Jeffrey Church, Neil Gandal
Publication Date:	October 2004
Keyword(s):	platform competition, telecommunications
JEL(s):	L13
Programme Areas:	Industrial Organization
Link to this Page:	cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=4659

In this Paper we consider the economics of platform competition in telecommunications. Platform competition occurs when different, sometimes incompatible, technologies compete to provide telecommunications services to end-users. Battles between competing technologies have been an important feature of telecommunications in the last twenty or so years. Examples of platform competition in telecommunications include wireless vs. wireline networks, competing wireless options, such as satellite vs. cellular, and, within cellular, different digital standards.