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ContextualizingtheMobileInternetMastersThesisUniversityofAmsterdam,departmentofInformationScienceRichardTee6May2003ContextualizingtheMobileInternet-RichardTee2Preface:ItwasbypurechancethatIstumbledonthesubjectthatwastobecomethemaintopicofmyfinalthesis.HavingrecentlyreturnedfromanexchangeprograminAustralia,Iwaseagertogoabroadagainassoonaspossible.IheardastudentorganizationofwhichIwasamemberwasorganizingastudytriptoJapan;themobileinternetwasoneofitsmaintopics.CoincidentallyIwasjustreadinganarticleintechnologymagazineWiredabout“Japan’swirelessrevolution”.Inthestyletypicalofthemagazine,itgaveawellresearchedaccountthatbalancedbetweenconvincinginsightsanddownrighthyperbole.Aboveallthei-modearticlegotmeexcited.However,officiallyIcouldnotjointhetripanymore;preparationshadbeengoingonforseveralmonthsandthenumberofplaceshadbeentakenalready.Fortunately,intheendImanagedtogetaplaceinthegroupofparticipants,helpedbysomelobbying.ThevisittoJapan,thoughshort,turnedouttobeagreatexperienceandinspirationalinmanyways.UponreturnIwroteanarticleabouti-mode,withthehelpofsomefellowparticipants,whichgotpublishedinaDutchjournalforITprofessionals.Afewmonthslater,Ihadtodecideonatopicformyfinalthesis.IwasconsideringtodomyinternshipattheinternationalinstituteofInfonomics.WhenIheardtheywereinvolvedinaresearchprojectaboutmobilecontent,decidingonmyfinalresearchtopicwasnotdifficult.ThistimeIwantedtoincludeEuropeinmyresearchaswell,apartfromJapanofcourse.Includingthelatterwas,apartfrombeingnecessaryfromanacademicperspective,alsoagoodreasontovisitthecountryagain,soIimagined.TheinitialresearchforthisthesisstartedinSeptember2002.Ninemonthslater,andasecondvisittoJapanalongtheway,thisworkiscompleted.BeforestartingthewritingprocessofthisthesisIreadafewotherthesesanddissertations.Whatoftenstruckmewasthenumberofpeoplecreditedintheacknowledgements.Thispuzzledme,whileIhadalwaysimaginedwritingathesiswassomethingofasolitarypracticeinindividualpersistence.Granted,thelastweeksofwritinghavebeenfairlyindividualistic,buttherestoftheresearchexperiencesturnedouttobeverydifferentthanIexpected.Ergo:manythanksgoouttoallthosewhohavehelpedmealongtheway.HansKoolmeesandJanBierhoffforgivingmetheopportunitytowritemythesisattheInfonomics–EC/DCresearchinstitute.JamalShahinforassistingandguidingmethroughoutmyinternship.JeroendeKloetforintroducingmeatInfonomics.FransArxhoekforputtingmeincontactwiththerightpeopleformyinitiali-moderesearch.JonSigurdsonforhisgenerousoffertoreadadraftofthisthesis.Also,manymanythankstoallmyinterviewees,inJapanaswellasEurope.Isincerelyappreciatethetimetheyreservedtosharetheirideasonthemobileinternetwithme.Finally,manythankstoSallyWyatt,forherwillingnesstotakeupthetaskofsupervisingmythesis.Idedicatethisworktomyfamily:mygreatfather,brotherand-muchtooearly-thememoryofmydearmother.RichardTeeAmsterdam,May2003Icanbecontactedviae-mailandappreciatefeedback,commentsorquestions:Richard.Tee@infonomics.nlRichardtee@mail.comContextualizingtheMobileInternet-RichardTee3“ContextualizingtheMobileinternetASCOTapproachtomobileinternetservicesinJapanandEurope”Executivesummary..................................................................................................................................5Chapter1:Introduction:OriginsofthemobileinternetIntroduction..............................................................................................................................................8Voiceaddsdata:towardsthemobileinternet...........................................................................................9Competingmodelsforthemobileinternet...............................................................................................9Differenttechnologicaltrajectories........................................................................................................10Intendedaudience...................................................................................................................................11Organizationofthisthesis......................................................................................................................12Context...................................................................................................................................................12Chapter2:Theory:TechnologyinContextWhatisTechnology?..............................................................................................................................14Viewsontherelationsbetweentechnologyandsociety........................................................................14TechnologicalDeterminism...........................................................................................................14Technologyasneutral.....................................................................................................................16Socialconstructionoftechnology..................................................................................................16CritiqueonSCOTtheory...........................