Broadband Provision Research Articles

Productivity and Broadband

While the productivity paradox has been largely resolved, debate persists about the impacts of information and communications technologies on productivity, particularly as regards broadband Internet connections. To date, the bulk of the literature has not addressed the impacts of broadband provision on regional variations in productivity. This study develops a series of spatial econometric models that examine the link between broadband provision and productivity for US counties. The models developed not only consider the link between productivity and broadband provision, but they also evaluate the variability in broadband impacts that are related to the quality of human capital stock within counties. The results of the models are evidence of skill-based technological change and suggest that in general, broadband has a positive impact on productivity only in locales with high levels of human capital and/or highly skilled occupations.

Rural Broadband in Scotland – Challenges for Scotland and Lessons for Other Countries

There are many socio-economic benefits associated with the provision and use of broadband services. Arguably these are greatest for those living and working in rural areas, as broadband contributes to the ‘death of distance’. This paper focuses on the provision of broadband in rural Scotland, and analyses the initiatives that have been undertaken to encourage broadband availability to identify a series of challenges that need to be overcome. One challenge highlighted is the need to coordinate across the complex institutional landscape that has emerged in broadband provision in rural Scotland, while a second is the relative lack of resources that are available. A third is the focus on availability at the expense of encouraging adoption. These challenges provide lessons for other countries.

The wireless abyss: Deconstructing the U.S. National Broadband Map

The U.S. National Broadband Map (NBM) is arguably the most complex articulation and synthesis of telecommunications data ever generated by the federal government. Drawing upon information collected by fifty U.S. states, five territories and the District of Columbia, broadband provision is tabulated at the Census block level and made available to the general public in a variety of formats (e.g., maps, tabular databases, and geographic coverages). One major policy challenge associated with deepening our understanding of wireless broadband provision in the United States is developing a methodological process for accurately rearticulating NBM wireless data collected at the block level to more meaningful economic units (e.g., Census block groups or tracts). Without this ability, policy analysis and an objective evaluation of the goals set forth in the National Broadband Plan are compromised. The purpose of this paper is to outline such a methodology, while simultaneously highlighting several consistency checks for ensuring completeness and data aggregation integrity.

Broadband Internet and New Firm Formation: A U.S. Perspective

Broadband internet is considered an important determinant of economic growth and development. A number of studies have examined the impact of broadband on migration, firm location and economic growth. However, the relationship between broadband infrastructure and new firm formation in the USA has not been sufficiently described. This chapter fills that gap by empirically examining the relationship between broadband internet and new firm formation. It is found that single-unit firm births and the provision of broadband are positively and significantly related across almost all industry sectors in the USA. However, the impact of broadband provisioning on new firm formation is sensitive to agglomeration and aggregate and growth patterns of states and economic sectors.

The Broadband Digital Divide and the Economic Benefits of Mobile Broadband for Rural Areas

Broadband is becoming increasingly important to national economies and the personal lives of users. However, broadband availability and adopation are not diffusing in rural and urban areas at the same rates. This article updates the rural broadband digital divide, with special attention paid to mobility. Empirical estimations of broadband provision and usage in the US show that rural areas have fewer high-speed fixed and mobile providers but more slower-speed fixed providers than urban areas. While rural availability of mobile broadband is lower than in urban areas, it still helps fill in gaps in fixed broadband coverage in rural areas. The rural gap in fixed broadband usage remains, but the mobile broadband usage gap disappears after controlling for household demographics. The raw broadband usage gaps between rural and urban households are proportionally greater for low-income households. The potential for mobile broadband to benefit rural areas through economic development is also examined.

Entrepreneurship and Technological Change: Broadband Provision Impacts on Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship and Technological Change: Broadband Provision Impacts on Entrepreneurship

The U.S. National Broadband Map: Data limitations and implications

The 2011 release of the National Broadband Map (NBM) has generated significant interest from the telecommunications policy community. The NBM is a multiagency effort, including the National Telecommunications Administration (NTIA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories, to collect and disseminate information on broadband provision and quality of service for the United States. From a geographic perspective, the NBM represents a marked departure from previous broadband data efforts. Specifically, instead of disseminating FCC Form 477 data on providers at the ZIP code or Census tract level, the NBM reports provision information at the Census block level—the smallest geographic unit in which the Census bureau tabulates survey information. While this increased level of geographic data resolution is a welcome change, there are several notable limitations to these data that are important to consider when conducting spatial econometric analysis for public policy evaluation. With this in mind, the purpose of this paper is twofold. First, this paper explores the salient characteristics of Census block geographic base files, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses as summary units of spatial analysis. This also includes a brief discussion on how the NBM treats geographically large blocks and their use of road segments for aggregating provider data. Second, this paper examines the impacts of empty blocks (i.e. blocks that have no household information associated with them) for the spatial analysis of broadband. Finally, this paper provides a short overview of how these data limitations can impact public policy evaluation and provides a blueprint for improving the National Broadband Map.

The Politics of Broadband: Labor and New Information Technology from Hawke to Gillard

Labor's broadband policy influenced key regional independents to support the formation of the minority Gillard government. However, analysing information technology policy doesn't only demonstrate continuing differences between Labor and the Coalition. It also demonstrates changing Labor attitudes on issues ranging from neoliberalism, globalisation and social inclusion to conceptions of market failure and the rising power of Asia. In particular, this article compares and contrasts the attitudes of the Rudd government to those of the Hawke and Keating governments, arguing that the Rudd government placed much more emphasis on the role that market failure had played in contributing to Australia's poor broadband provision. The resulting policy involved an increased role for government in rolling out broadband not only to the cities but also to regional Australia. That approach benefitted Gillard. It also reflected ideological differences between not just Labor and the Liberals, but also between Rudd and his Labor predecessors.

The importance of broadband provision to knowledge intensive firm location

AbstractDespite the volume of literature afforded knowledge work and innovations in information and communications technologies (ICTs), few studies have examined the importance of ICTs to firms in knowledge industries. This study will develop spatial econometric models to examine the relative importance of broadband provision levels to knowledge intensive firms in select US metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). Results demonstrate the need for both a spatial econometric and a metropolitan area specific evaluation of this relationship. They also suggest potential spillover effects to knowledge intensive firm location, which may explain why some regional economies are relatively more successful at stimulating firm growth in this increasingly important sector of the US economy. Resumen. A pesar del volumen de conocimiento aportado por la literatura y las innovaciones en las tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones (ICTs, siglas en inglés), pocos estudios han examinado la importancia de las ICTs para las empresas del sector del conocimiento. Este estudio desarrolla modelos econométricos espaciales para examinar la importancia relativa de los niveles de prestación del suministro de banda ancha para empresas que hacen un uso intensivo del conocimiento, utilizando áreas estadísticas metropolitanas (MSAs) seleccionadas de los EE.UU. Los resultados demuestran la necesidad de una evaluación específica de esta relación, tanto a escala econométrica espacial como del área metropolitana. También sugieren efectos de spillover para la localización de empresas que hacen un uso intensivo del conocimiento, lo cual podría explicar por qué algunas economías regionales tienen relativamente un mayor éxito a la hora de estimular el crecimiento empresarial en este sector cada vez más importante de la economía de los EE.UU.

A "PRINCIPLED" APPROACH TO THE DESIGN OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY

The Obama administration came into power championing a philosophical shift in regulatory and antitrust policy. The telecommunications industry was singled out by the administration as a case where past regulatory or antitrust policies may have been too permissive. Prominent policy issues slated for (re)examination include forbearance from network unbundling obligations, net neutrality regulation, and prospective market failures in the provision of broadband. The principal objective of this article is to develop a set of competition and regulatory principles, firmly grounded in the law and economics literature, that can serve to inform the design of the optimal public policy for the telecommunications sector.

Efficiency in broadband service provision: A spatial analysis

With the 2008 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order amending both the definition of broadband and its data collection practices, the problems associated with data integrity and ZIP code aggregations in the United States will soon be forgotten. However, between 1999 and 2007, FCC Form 477 data remain the only viable, nationwide database of broadband provision in the United States. While broadband data from 1999–2004 and 2005–2007 are not directly comparable due to a modification in collection procedure, there is an absence of objective empirical analysis for the latter time period. Interestingly, although the FCC made the 2005–2007 data publically available on the Internet, password protected files largely prevented analysts from accessing, manipulating and analyzing these data. The purpose of this paper is three-fold. First, the process utilized for liberating these data from their protected format and integrating them into a geographic information system (GIS) is outlined. Second, the spatial distribution of broadband provision in the United States for 2005–2007 is explored. A mathematical programming approach is also utilized for comparing the relative efficiencies of ZIP code areas in acquiring broadband service given their demand-side socio-economic and demographic determinants. Finally, implications for public policy, particularly those associated with developing local and regional benchmarks for broadband provision, competition and access, are addressed.

Scientific Research Project Coordinated by ICP-Anacom and Anatel with a Focus on Mobile Broadband: Final Report

A primary goal of this study is to extend the existing research on broadband provision and adoption by comparing the factors that determine mobile broadband adoption with those that determine fixed broadband adoption, the patterns of use for each technology, and the substitutability of mobile and fixed broadband. We also draw conclusions about improved data collection and reporting on fixed and mobile broadband deployment, adoption, and usage patterns, and on the impact of nomadic broadband deployment there such analysis is possible.

Forecasting broadband provision

The provision of broadband telecommunication services in the United States is spatially heterogeneous. Previous studies find that urban locales typically have a larger selection of access platforms and providers when compared to rural or remote areas. Therefore, the ability to forecast broadband provision is important to understanding regional trends in telecommunications competition and availability. This paper provides a comparative analysis of cross-sectional and spatial econometric forecasts of broadband provision, with results suggesting that the integration of spatially referenced demand-side variables significantly improve the accuracy of short and mid-range forecasts.

BROADBAND PROVISION AND FIRM LOCATION IN OHIO: AN EXPLORATORY SPATIAL ANALYSIS

ABSTRACTInformation and communication technologies (ICTs) are often cited as an important factor in firm location decisions. This is especially true for firms engaged in information intensive activities and those that have a strong need for advanced services such as broadband. Despite the suggested importance of these technologies, quantitative work evaluating the link between firm location and broadband provision is sparse and existing knowledge remains largely theoretical and speculative. However, theoretical evaluations of the impact of ICTs on firm location do provide a foundation for quantitative analyses of this relationship and may be grouped into three schools of thought: the deconcentration school, the concentration school, and the heterogeneous effects school. The predictions made by these three schools of thought will be analysed in an exploratory context to better understand the relationship between firm location and ICTs, with a focus on broadband service provision. A combination of basic spatial statistical analytical tools and geographic information systems (GIS) will be used in an exploratory spatial data analysis framework to evaluate the relationship between firm location and broadband provision trends from 1999 to 2004 in the state of Ohio. Results suggest that changes in broadband provision have no relationship with changes in firm location. However, a disaggregated, firm level analysis of this relationship does provide statistically significant results for a subset of industrial sectors. Firm size is also found to impact the correlation between firm presence and broadband provision. These results suggest that firm size and industry are perhaps critical components in determining the relative importance of ICTs, such as broadband, in firm location decisions.

Wireless broadband technologies for regional and rural Australia

The deployment of wireless broadband networks to deliver high-speed broadband services to regional and rural Australia is increasingly being examined as a viable alternative to the deployment of wired technology. Whilst last-mile connectivity (i.e. the connection which links the enduser to the network backbone) can be very expensive for carriage service providers deploying wired technology, the deployment of wireless technologies, typically characterised by lower capital and operational costs, can provide a more effective solution to the connectivity problems presently experienced by these remote demographics. It is recognised that the provision of high speed broadband is critical to communities in regional and rural areas as it serves to expand economic capacity and stimulate commerce. However, accessibility and availability of broadband networks are generally lower in rural areas than the urban areas in both developed and developing countries due to low population density and poor economies of scale. Recent developments in wireless network technology however have the potential to provide access to broadband technology in regional and rural communities at reasonable cost. Hence, wireless technology has the potential to empower local communities and expand economic capacity and commerce in regional and rural areas. The central purpose of this paper is to explore the alternatives presently available for the deployment of wireless broadband networks for regional and rural Australia. The alternative technologies will be analysed in terms of data rates and coverage distance in order to determine the best possible last-mile wireless connectivity solution for regional and rural Australia. The paper begins with an analysis of the broadband networks and services presently prevailing in Australia. This discussion is followed by an analysis of the motivation for the provision of wireless broadband networks in remote and rural areas in the country and the available technology options. Building upon these findings whilst allowing for geographical and radio propagation uncertainties at this stage in some regional and remote areas of Australia, the paper outlines certain recommendations as to suitable last-mile technologies to support connectivity for such areas. The proposals are based both on appropriate technology and identified economic drivers of broadband deployment.

The Wireless City

In this article, we explore the evolution of wireless broadband networks in cities. We examine the technological alternatives for city-wide implementation, and the governance arrangements for such implementation. Several wireless infrastructure technologies, such as Wi-Fi, WiMax, and Mesh networks have quickly evolved during this century. In terms of governance, we identify different models of ownership and deployment of wireless networks. Although the municipal provision of wireless broadband is controversial, we argue that the municipalities have a crucial role to provide such network infrastructure.

Wireless hopes for universal service in developing countries: an assessment in the Mexican context

Purpose – This paper aims to assess the role that different wireless solutions could have in the universalisation of access to telecommunication services in emerging countries.Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a techno‐economic model aimed at estimating the cost of deploying and maintaining a wireless network (a 3G network and a CDMA 450 network) capable of providing broadband access. The calculations have been carried out for Mexico, since its socio‐demographic disparities represent well the general scenarios of developing economies.Findings – Wireless technologies are the safest commitment to move forward to universal access in developing countries. The results of this study suggest that provision of broadband in moderately populated zones (suburban and semirural areas) through the deployment of a wireless network could be profitable for those operators willing to invest. Alternatively, these technologies would also be the most efficient option for those governments, which decide to finan...

Spatial data constraints: Implications for measuring broadband

The accurate determination of where broadband telecommunication services are available in the United States continues to be a significant challenge. Existing data regarding broadband provision, such as that provided by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) simply designate ZIP codes with at least one high-speed Internet subscriber. As ZIP code areas vary greatly in size and shape, the lack of geographic specificity as to exactly where broadband is available, particularly within ZIP code areas, confounds communications policymaking. Further, there are a number of additional geographic nuances concerning broadband availability that also inhibit empirical examination and policy generation, including the spatial limitations of digital subscriber line services. The purpose of this paper is to briefly review the issues concerning broadband measurement in the United States and provide an empirical analysis of several spatial data constraints that must be accounted for when interpreting and constructing public telecommunications policy.

The spatial distribution of broadband providers in the United States: 1999–2004

Variations in the supply and demand of telecommunications infrastructure in the United States are well documented. However, amidst waning concerns of a broadband digital divide, the geographic aspects of broadband availability continue to be intriguing. While some areas benefit from a robust selection of broadband providers, choices for consumers in other regions are often limited. The purpose of this paper is to explore the spatially unbalanced levels of broadband provision in the USA by providing an abbreviated longitudinal analysis of broadband regions and their development from 1999 to 2004. Broadband core and periphery regions are identified through the use of spatial statistical techniques and a geographic information system. A broadband competition index for ranking metropolitan and micropolitan areas is also introduced.

Can broadband access rescue the rural economy?

PurposeGovernment is promoting broadband for all, and specifically, is advocating business up‐take of broadband that affords high‐speed internet activity, to foster global competitiveness. Urban areas have economies of scale and the effect on price of concentration of demand. Rural areas do not, and potential broadband provision is thus problematic. The paper aims to study technology roll‐out in rural areas, and provide a commentary, based on empirical work, on the potential of demand for, and use of, the service.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws from secondary research sourced from academic papers, government and agency documents to evaluate rural broadband provision, and analyses the suitability of current “solutions”. It also draws together conclusions of various empirical and survey researches on the potential of uptake and business use of broadband.FindingsThe paper questions whether broadband access in rural areas has the potential to contribute to economic development. It also identifies the limitations of current broadband technologies, concluding that, in fact, none are appropriate for rural and remote locations. The paper finds that rural businesses tend to lack propensity for growth and diversification; therefore, accessibility for rural businesses may be an issue secondary to that of lack of enterprise in many rural areas. Therefore, efforts to roll out technology to rural areas may not provide results desired or expected.Originality/valueThe value of the paper lies in providing a holistic viewpoint, based on research and technology considerations, from which policy can be informed.