ABSTRACT
The chapter will illustrate patterns of development and diffusion of breakthrough technologies by investigating historical cases in the field of (tele)communication. Breakthrough technologies are characterized by a dramatic change in attainable price/performance ratios, or by new kinds of performance (Tushman and Anderson, 1986). Telegraphy, radio, fax, television, mobile communication, and Internet technology are examples of breakthrough communication technologies since they enabled new types of performance or drastically altered the price/performance ratios of existing technologies.
