IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/telpol/v47y2023i10s0308596123001362.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The geopolitics of next generation mobile communication standardization: The case of open RAN

Author

Listed:
  • Kim, Mi-jin
  • Eom, Doyoung
  • Lee, Heejin

Abstract

The U.S. confrontation with China in technology has been escalating. One of the triggers is China's rise in 5G standardization and its lead in the telecommunications equipment market, which causes security concerns. In response, the U.S. promotes Open RAN as an alternative to the Chinese providers' proprietary solutions. It is claimed to enable the establishment and operation of open and safer networks for 5G and beyond. This paper examines why and how the U.S. promotes Open RAN and what the responses are from other countries. We find that the U.S. government's strong support for the development and dissemination of Open RAN signals its techno-nationalistic turn in international standardization. The origin of Open RAN is geopolitical in the sense that it represents a reaction to China's lead in 5G standardization. The geopolitical perspective is strengthened as we find the formation of alliances in support of Open RAN. A refreshed approach of the U.S. to standardization has introduced a new dynamic to cooperation and competition for setting the global rules on next-generation mobile communication technologies as well as emerging technologies. Standards are increasingly at the core of the ongoing geopolitical technology competition, and as such further investigation is required.

Suggested Citation

  • Kim, Mi-jin & Eom, Doyoung & Lee, Heejin, 2023. "The geopolitics of next generation mobile communication standardization: The case of open RAN," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(10).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:telpol:v:47:y:2023:i:10:s0308596123001362
    DOI: 10.1016/j.telpol.2023.102625
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596123001362
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.telpol.2023.102625?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Blind, Knut & Mangelsdorf, Axel, 2016. "Motives to standardize: Empirical evidence from Germany," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 48, pages 13-24.
    2. Gao, Xudong, 2014. "A latecomer's strategy to promote a technology standard: The case of Datang and TD-SCDMA," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(3), pages 597-607.
    3. Gao, Xudong & Liu, Jianxin, 2012. "Catching up through the development of technology standard: The case of TD-SCDMA in China," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(7), pages 531-545.
    4. Michael Murphree & Dan Breznitz, 2018. "Indigenous digital technology standards for development: The case of China," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 1(3), pages 234-252, December.
    5. Shim, Yongwoon & Shin, Dong-Hee, 2016. "Neo-techno nationalism: The case of China’s handset industry," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 197-209.
    6. Tassey, Gregory, 2000. "Standardization in technology-based markets," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(4-5), pages 587-602, April.
    7. Schott, Lennart & Schaefer, Kerstin J., 2023. "Acceptance of Chinese latecomers' technological contributions in international ICT standardization — The role of origin, experience and collaboration," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(1).
    8. Schott, Lennart & Schaefer, Kerstin, 2023. "Acceptance of Chinese latecomers' technological contributions in international ICT standardization — the role of origin, experience and collaboration," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 116987, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    9. Kim, Mi-jin & Lee, Heejin & Kwak, Jooyoung, 2020. "The changing patterns of China’s international standardization in ICT under techno-nationalism: A reflection through 5G standardization," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    10. Gao, Ping & Yu, Jiang & Lyytinen, Kalle, 2014. "Government in standardization in the catching-up context: Case of China's mobile system," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 200-209.
    11. Shim, Yongwoon & Shin, Don, 2019. "Smartness in techno-nationalism? Combining actor-network theory and institutionalization to assess Chinese smart TV development," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 87-98.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wiegmann, Paul Moritz & de Vries, Henk J. & Blind, Knut, 2017. "Multi-mode standardisation: A critical review and a research agenda," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(8), pages 1370-1386.
    2. Yang, You-hong & Gao, Ping & Zhou, Haimei, 2023. "Understanding the evolution of China's standardization policy system," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(2).
    3. Cantero Gamito, Marta, 2023. "The influence of China in AI governance through standardisation," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(10).
    4. Liu, Xiaolu & Li, Honglin, 2016. "Ownership domination in standardization: Evidence from Chinese industrial firms," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 225-241.
    5. Schott, Lennart & Schaefer, Kerstin, 2023. "Acceptance of Chinese latecomers' technological contributions in international ICT standardization — the role of origin, experience and collaboration," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 116987, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Xia, Jun, 2017. "China’s telecommunications evolution, institutions, and policy issues on the eve of 5G: A two-decade retrospect and prospect," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(10), pages 931-947.
    7. Blind, Knut & Kenney, Martin & Leiponen, Aija & Simcoe, Timothy, 2023. "Standards and innovation: A review and introduction to the special issue," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(8).
    8. Schott, Lennart & Schaefer, Kerstin J., 2023. "Acceptance of Chinese latecomers' technological contributions in international ICT standardization — The role of origin, experience and collaboration," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(1).
    9. Wen, Jinyan & Li, Jian & Zhou, Qing & Zeng, Deming & Harms, Rainer, 2023. "How firms support formal standardization: The role of alliance portfolio and internal technological diversity," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    10. Zoo, Hanah & de Vries, Henk J. & Lee, Heejin, 2017. "Interplay of innovation and standardization: Exploring the relevance in developing countries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 334-348.
    11. Xie, Zongjie & Hall, Jeremy & McCarthy, Ian P. & Skitmore, Martin & Shen, Liyin, 2016. "Standardization efforts: The relationship between knowledge dimensions, search processes and innovation outcomes," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 48, pages 69-78.
    12. Kim, Dong-hyu & Lee, Heejin & Kwak, Jooyoung & Seo, DongBack, 2014. "China׳s information security standardization: Analysis from the perspective of technical barriers to trade principles," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(7), pages 592-600.
    13. Lee, Chuan-Kai & Yu, Limeng, 2022. "A multi-level perspective on 5G transition: The China case," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    14. Liu, Yu-li & Tian, Li & Li, Changyan & Wu, Yanfei, 2024. "Analyzing the competitiveness and strategies of Chinese mobile network operators in the 5G era," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(2).
    15. Geerten van de Kaa & Lieke van den Eijnden & Neelke Doorn, 2020. "Filtering Out Standard Success Criteria in the Case of Multi-Mode Standardization: Responsible Waste Water Treatment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-10, February.
    16. Freimuth, Claudia & Oelmann, Mark & Amann, Erwin, 2018. "Development and prospects of standardization in the German municipal wastewater sector: Version 1.0," IBES Diskussionsbeiträge 223, University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute of Business and Economic Studie (IBES).
    17. Khan, Rabnawaz, 2023. "The impact of a new techno-nationalism era on eco-economic decoupling," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    18. Deng, Xin & Li, Qian Cher & Mateut, Simona, 2022. "Participation in setting technology standards and the implied cost of equity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(5).
    19. Dinçkol, Dize & Ozcan, Pinar & Zachariadis, Markos, 2023. "Regulatory standards and consequences for industry architecture: The case of UK Open Banking," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).
    20. Anna Pohle & Knut Blind & Dmitry Neustroev, 2018. "The Impact of International Management Standards on Academic Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-19, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:telpol:v:47:y:2023:i:10:s0308596123001362. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/30471/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.