First, Europe/Japan are ahead of the US because they got into the game later.
Not true for the whole of Europe. The nordic countries were actually ahead of US from the start. The analogue system used there (NMT) was deployed in 1981 IIRC, and the US system was deployed in 1983. The first country with an analogue system was, of all countries, Saudi Arabia. They deployed an NMT system in 1979.
We don't typically find SMS so fascinating (why would anyone?!?).
I don't think anyone finds SMS fascinating. It's just damn practical and useful.
Slashdot Mirror
First, Europe/Japan are ahead of the US because they got into the game later.
Not true for the whole of Europe. The nordic countries were actually ahead of US from the start. The analogue system used there (NMT) was deployed in 1981 IIRC, and the US system was deployed in 1983. The first country with an analogue system was, of all countries, Saudi Arabia. They deployed an NMT system in 1979.
We don't typically find SMS so fascinating (why would anyone?!?).
I don't think anyone finds SMS fascinating. It's just damn practical and useful.