The Technology Policy Institute released a summary of the event on “Network Management: The Latest Battle over Net Neutrality” that took place on February 29, 2008.
Broadband
High-speed data connections, or broadband, are critical to the economy. Our work on broadband covers a wide range of topics, including the digital divide, wireline and wireless provision, spectrum, net neutrality, competition, and more.
Press Releases
The Pros and Cons of Network Management: Summary of the 2/29 Event Released
The Technology Policy Institute released a summary of the event on “Network Management: The Latest Battle over Net Neutrality” that took place on February 29, 2008. The panelists discussed the controversy surrounding Comcast’s network management practices and evaluated the economic, legal, and engineering aspects of network management based on evidence from the United States and Japan. They also discussed the potential impacts of possible proposed regulations.
Research Papers
Reverse Auctions and Universal Telecommunications Service: Lessons from Global Experience
The United States now spends around $7 billion on universal service programs?subsidies intended to ensure that the entire country has access to telecommunications services. Most of this money supports telecommunications service in ?high cost? (primarily rural) areas, and the High Cost fund is growing quickly. In response to this growth, policymakers are considering using reverse auctions, or bids for the minimum subsidy, as a way to reduce expenditures. While the U.S. has not yet distributed funds for universal service programs using reverse auctions, the method has been used widely.
Press Releases
Unbundling Regulations do Not Necessarily Promote Broadband Investment according to Wallsten analysis
Washington, DC – While the United States has moved away from unbundling regulations in recent years, the European Union has increasingly adopted them in order to stimulate broadband investment. A new paper by Scott Wallsten assembles a unique panel dataset to test the effects of different types of unbundling regulations on broadband penetration and speeds across OECD countries. Wallsten finds that unbundling regulations do not promote broadband investment and may even reduce it. He also finds, however, that rules that make it easier for an entrant to interconnect are positively correlated with broadband penetration and speed.
Testimony and Filings
Communications, Broadband and Competitiveness.” Testimony before the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Senate
Wallsten, Scott. “Communications, Broadband and Competitiveness.” Testimony before the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Senate, September 26, 2007.
Research Papers
Comments to the Federal Communications Commission – Antitrust, Two-Sided Markets, and Platform Competition: The Case of the XM-Sirius Merger
Wallsten, Scott. “Comments to the Federal Communications Commission – Antitrust, Two-Sided Markets, and Platform Competition: The Case of the XM-Sirius Merger.” July 2007.