Unpacking 3GPP Standards

This article describes a new database with detailed information on standardization procedures at the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). 3GPP is the most relevant standard setting organization (SSO) in the field of mobile telecommunications. Empirical research on technology standards and SSOs has so far been limited by the scarcity of available data. The present database contains information on membership, meeting attendance, chairmanship, work items, contributions, and votes at 3GPP. This data sheds light on the technical complexity of standard development, and illustrates the importance of voluntary contributions from SSO members. The data allows addressing important policy questions regarding the regulation of voluntary SSOs and the role of standard-essential patents in standardization.