Benton Institute for Broadband & Society - Telecommunications Policy

Reviewing wireless broadband technologies in the peak smartphone era: 6G versus Wi-Fi 7 and 8

zwalker@benton.org — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 17:21:50 +0000

With the arrival of the peak smartphone era, users are upgrading their smartphones less frequently, and data growth is decelerating. To ensure effective spectrum management decisions, policy makers require a thorough understanding of prospective wireless broadband technologies, current trends and emerging issues. We identify three emerging issues necessary for successful telecommunication policy. Firstly, evidenced-based policy making needs to be able to measure effectively how much demand takes place where and how. Thus, new datasets are needed reflecting real usage by different wireless broadband technologies, for indoor and outdoor users. Secondly, with data consumption growth slowing, there needs to be an urgent reassessment of spectrum demand versus allocation. Past forecasts do not reflect recent data and regulators urgently need to re-evaluate the implications for spectrum management. Finally, regulators need new and improved Lifecycle Impact Assessment metrics of cellular versus Wi-Fi architectures, to support successful policy decisions which mitigate energy and emissions impacts.

Benton Content:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596124000636?dgcid=rss_sd…

Teaser:

An evaluation of policy issues associated with 6G, Wi-Fi 7, and Wi-Fi 8

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Telecommunications Policy

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Send date:

Fri, 04/26/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/25/2024

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Publish Date:

Thu, 04/25/2024

Coverage Type:

Research

Internet/Broadband

Research

Wireless Telecommunications

Wireless Internet

An unexpected digital divide? A look at internet speeds and socioeconomic groups

Grace Tepper — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 15:52:27 +0000

As societies and economies continue to digitize, the need to understand the digital divide beyond binary availability or adoption metrics is increasing. Understanding the quality and performance of home internet—measured by internet speeds—among different socioeconomic groups contributes to the complex digital equity landscape at a time when all U.S. states and territories are completing digital equity plans. Using 2021 speed test data from Ookla, this study conducts spatial regressions at the census tract level to find that most of the sociodemographic factors associated with lower home internet adoption rates (e.g., rural, poor, older) remain when looking at actual internet speeds. However, an unexpected finding—supported by emerging research—that White non-Hispanic residents are using the internet at slower speeds compared to the two largest minority groups of Blacks and Hispanics suggests a need to potentially reassess the design of digital equity programs and policy interventions.

Benton Content:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596124000740

Teaser:

As societies and economies continue to digitize, the need to understand the digital divide beyond binary availability or adoption metrics is increasing.

Source:

Telecommunications Policy

Author:

Roberto Gallardo

Brian Whitacre

Send date:

Thu, 04/25/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/24/2024

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Publish Date:

Wed, 04/24/2024

Coverage Type:

Research

Digital Equity/Digital Inclusion

Affordability/Cost/Price

Universal Broadband

Marginalized Populations

Does digital literacy reduce the risk of returning to poverty? Evidence from China (Telecommunications Policy)

Grace Tepper — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 12:07:10 +0000

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Does digital literacy reduce the risk of returning to poverty? Evidence from China

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Source:

Telecommunications Policy

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Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/22/2024

Broadband adoption in Algeria and the structural determinants of its pace

benton — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 17:06:33 +0000

Using a 2003–2019 dataset on broadband adoption in Algeria, we explore its pattern and the market structure, institutional, and socio-economic factors that influenced its pace, which was considerably delayed due to political and social instability during the decade of the 1990s. We propose an integrative model selection approach that simultaneously searches for the best diffusion model among the Bass, Gompertz, and Logistic diffusion models, as well as relevant explanatory variables. The Logistic model chosen strongly aligns with Algeria's historical context compared to the Gompertz model selected by the standard sequential approach. Market concentration exhibits a U-shaped impact on adoption rates, while institutional quality, mobile technology, and higher education enrollment consistently have a positive impact. Introducing differentiated broadband access to stimulate competition and lower prices can promote adoption among sub-populations in Algeria who currently find it financially inaccessible. Additionally, broadband uptake can be further accelerated by enforcing transparent governance, supporting regulatory policies, and boosting digital literacy.

Benton Content:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308596124000582?dgcid=rs…

Teaser:

Incentivizing operators offering differentiated services increases competition, thus broadband quality and affordability.

Source:

Telecommunications Policy

Author:

Radia Bacha

Farid Gasmi

Samantha Metevier

Send date:

Mon, 04/15/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/12/2024

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Publish Date:

Sun, 04/14/2024

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A hard look at quality and policy from the lens of the rural internet consumer

benton — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 11:30:41 +0000

Utilizing a unique dataset of 296 mostly rural households in Nebraska, this study examines rural broadband satisfaction and the distribution of broadband types through two questions: Does reported household satisfaction with broadband connectivity differ with the access method? And how does the built environment influence the distribution of broadband technologies? Integrating detailed survey data on household satisfaction with high-resolution performance data, the novel dataset identifies significant variances in user satisfaction with five aspects of broadband quality, with fiber emerging as the highest rated across metrics. Additionally, k-means clustering analysis of the built environment—based on structure proximity and population density—reveals a series of nuanced relationships, including the effects of past and present regulatory action, that affect the current availability of broadband technologies in various rural locales. Employing these findings, we advocate for potential policy adjustments sensitive to rural built environment and user experience complexities, challenging the adequacy of current technology-agnostic approaches.

Benton Content:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596124000594

Teaser:

Fiber is the highest-rated broadband

Source:

Telecommunications Policy

Author:

Angela Hollman

Timothy Obermier

Jesse Andrews

Send date:

Thu, 04/11/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/10/2024

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Publish Date:

Thu, 04/11/2024

Coverage Type:

Research

Digital Equity/Digital Inclusion

Digital Divide

Internet/Broadband

Infrastructure

Marginalized Populations

Individuals who primarily Reside in a Rural Area

Research

Model analysis on the economic impact of paid peering: Implications of the Netflix vs. SK broadband dispute

benton — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 14:39:48 +0000

In April 2020, Netflix, Inc. and its Korean subsidiary Netflix Services Korea Ltd. filed a lawsuit against SK Broadband, Inc., seeking confirmation that there were no obligations to bear network costs. On June 25, 2021, the Seoul Central District Court rejected Netflix’s argument and acknowledged the existence of an obligation to negotiate fees. Netflix subsequently appealed the decision on November 5, 2021. However, on September 18, 2023, SK Broadband and parent SK Telecom suddenly announced in a joint statement with Netflix that they had agreed to establish a strategic partnership to end all disputes. This study provides an overview of the case, discusses the related concepts, and analyzes the meaning of the case outcome in terms of efficient resource allocation within the broadband ecosystem. A model analysis revealed that, with the freedom of price setting, the effect of introducing paid peering is neutral with respect to resource allocation; however, when that freedom is impaired, for example by price regulations or net neutrality obligations, the introduction of paid peering not only generates benefits for the introducing players and their customers but it also results in damage to overall social welfare. In addition, this study shows that paid peering can be used as a means of internalizing externalities when the external economies of network/content investment are considered. These arguments are expected to make a theoretical contribution to the debate on shifting the economic burden of network infrastructure to over-the-top players, and help the telecom regulator to better design universal broadband scheme.

Benton Content:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308596124000338?dgcid=rs…

Teaser:

The debate on shifting the economic burden of network infrastructure to over-the-top players

Source:

Telecommunications Policy

Author:

Toshiya Jitsuzumi

Send date:

Fri, 04/05/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/4/2024

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Publish Date:

Thu, 04/04/2024

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The academic industry’s response to generative artificial intelligence: An institutional analysis of large language models (Telecommunications Policy)

benton — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 14:35:42 +0000

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The academic industry’s response to generative artificial intelligence: An institutional analysis of large language models

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Source:

Telecommunications Policy

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Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/4/2024

The role of Video on Demand in stimulating broadband adoption

zwalker@benton.org — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 17:27:17 +0000

In this paper we study the role of Video on Demand services (VOD) as drivers of broadband adoption. We developed a worldwide database of VOD services launch by country since 2012 (including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Disney+, Paramount+, and HBO Max) and explored their contribution as contributors to broadband adoption during the period. Our results confirm that VOD services have been a key contributor to the increase of broadband connectivity, also helping to narrow down the digital divide especially in developing nations. In addition, VOD service offers have been associated with the gradual increase in the purchasing of broadband higher speed plans. Finally, there is a significant and positive increase in consumer surplus associated with the launch of VOD offers. This evidence points to the impact of VOD services on the digital economy as a stimulus for consumer acquisition of broadband services and therefore as a contributor to the revenues of broadband service providers.

Benton Content:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030859612400048X?dgcid=rs…

Teaser:

Video on Demand services have been a key contributor to the increase of broadband connectivity, even helping to narrow down the digital divide especially in developing nations

Source:

Telecommunications Policy

Author:

Raul Katz

Juan Jung

Fernando Callorda

Send date:

Wed, 04/03/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/2/2024

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Publish Date:

Tue, 04/02/2024

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Consumer-driven design and evaluation of broadband labels

benton — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 18:12:30 +0000

This study examines the content and layout of the proposed broadband consumer disclosure labels mandated by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Our large-scale user study identifies key consumer preferences and comprehension factors through a two-phase survey of 2500 broadband internet consumers. Findings reveal strong support for broadband labels, but dissatisfaction with the FCC's proposed labels from 2016. Participants generally struggled to use the label for cost computations and plan comparisons. Technical terms confused participants, but providing participants with brief education made the terms useable. Participants desired additional information, including reliability, speed measures for both periods when performance is “normal” and periods when performance is much worse than normal, quality-of-experience ratings, and detailed network management practices. This feedback informed our improved label designs that outperformed the 2016 labels in comprehension and preference. Overall, consumers valued clear pricing and performance details, comprehensive information, and an easy-to-understand format for plan comparison. Requiring broadband service providers to deposit machine-readable plan information in a publicly accessible database would enable third parties to further customize how information is presented to meet these consumer needs. Our work additionally highlights the need for user studies of labels to ensure they meet consumer demands.

Benton Content:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596124000144?

Teaser:

Consumers strongly support the implementation of broadband labels.

Source:

Telecommunications Policy

Author: