Enhancing the user role in the development of technical standards for telecommunications

Abstract

The paper examines the actual and potential roles of business users of telecommunications services in influencing the development of technical standards. Variours institutional structures in the user community are examined as they relate to user particioation in formally constituted standards development arganizations. Discreparcies between users and suppliers in participatory motivations, strategies and resources are noted. The standardization process in telecommunications emerges as a technology-push initiative led by the suplly industries. However, structural changes in the telecommunications industries have resulted in new approaches to standards making. As a result, standards have acquired a new significane in terms of user control user technical and service evolution. Using the development of European standards for digital wireless telephony as an example, it is argued that this new standardization environment mandates a much more active role for users. However, it is also argued that the user stake in telecommunications standards is not of an equivalent nature to the supplier stake. Thus, a theortical framework is presented which that effective user involvement will require the development of a parallel institutional structure for the user community.