China historically belongs to a farming civilization, in which rural population tended to stick to their farmlands for a lifetime. This situation has somehow been changing with, inter alia, the advancement and application of modern Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). In recent years, China has been pushing for the inclusion of its rural communities into modern information society through

This study aims to reveal a set of important factors related to FTTH tariffs and potentially differentiate them among the different EU countries, when constructing a dataset of 28 EU countries between 2013 and 2018 with tariff data 30–100 Mbps (TR30) and 100+ Mbps (TR100). We find that there is a negative relationship between penetration and tariffs. As penetration increases, that causes a negative

The radio spectrum that governments license to mobile operators is central to the development of mobile broadband services. However, there is significant variation around how much and when spectrum is assigned as well as its costs. We assess whether policies to assign spectrum had an impact on consumer welfare in 64 countries during the 2010–2017 period. We find evidence that policies that reduce the

This paper presents a novel simulation method for estimating the likely welfare effects of policy reforms aimed at increasing competition in strategic economic sectors such as mobile phone services. The proposed method relies on a partial equilibrium simulation approach and estimates the welfare impacts on current consumers and the potential welfare effects among new consumers brought into the market

Online businesses and platform work can create the impression that the digital economy is ephemeral and placeless. But the digital economy is experienced locally, and its effects are spatial. Measuring them requires better community-level data on economic activities online. While new government data measures broadband subscriptions down to neighborhoods, existing public data do not measure how broadband

This editorial article aims to introduce the virtual special issue (VSI) on the past, present, and future of OTT and live streaming services. This article provides the OTT research trends of the last six and a half years through a word cloud of the keywords of the 262 articles, the keyword network, as well as the coauthor network of the articles. After summarizing the overall research trends, we provide

A comprehensive exploration into the routine/non-routine job implications of information and communication technology (ICT) is crucial for tackling routine-replacing technological change challenges in the digital era. To this end, we propose an integrated input-output (IO) analytical framework to detangle the intertwined relations between ICT and non-ICT sectors, and further incorporate structural

Surprisingly, little is known about the cross-country effect of information and communication technology (ICT) on wealth inequality. At the same time, there is some tentative evidence suggesting that information and communication technology is positively correlated with income inequality. However, whether and how ICT affects wealth inequality is less explored, particularly because of the lack of reliable

This study focuses on regime complexity and state competition over global Internet governance (GIG). By conceptualizing and mapping international regime complexity, the actors in international issues concerning GIG are identified and studied and the dynamic interactions between states related to GIG are explored. In particular, the 2012 amendments to the International Telecommunication Regulations

The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the deep digital divide in Mexico and the enormous challenge faced by its education system in continuing to educate the country's students while under confinement. The objective of this article was to examine the determinants of internet access, use and productive uses for school-age children in households of different socioeconomic levels. The Heckman

Ireland's national broadband plan (NBP), announced in 2012, aimed to provide access to a minimum of 30 Mbps download speed to all households in the country ahead of the EU's Digital Agenda for Europe 2020 target for such speeds. The projected cost of the government subsidy was originally €175 million. However, when the contract for the procurement of the NBP was eventually signed in 2019 the estimated

This article discusses issues that arise when service providers place network equipment on publicly owned lands in the United States. Based on land use policy at the Federal Communications Commission, this paper theorizes that the use of public lands for 5G network development will create a moral hazard, as service providers may be tempted to take risks in the way they use public lands. Per economic

Mobile spectrum is a crucial natural resource, which is essential in a nation's economic growth and a mobile operator's business operations and sustainability. Moreover, spectrum auctions have become a common method for spectrum allocation by telecom regulators in recent decades. In Thailand, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) over the past years has used a spectrum

By extracting information from Saber 11 Tests taken by high school students close to finishing that educational period in Colombia, the digital divide evolution over time and its determinants are analyzed using a probabilistic model and the calculation of georeferenced concentration indexes. The topic is relevant as previous studies have shown a positive relationship between access to ICTs (Information

The aim of this paper is to analyse the determinants for digital divide in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) by considering inequalities in internet use and broadband subscriptions. The study considers 41 countries in the region which are geographically linked, and it allows for spatial interdependence. It also accounts for differences in demographic characteristics as well as social, political and economic

With data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey, we estimate the effect of a large-scale, government-owned broadband network in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on labor market outcomes. Difference-in-Differences, augmented with Coarsened Exact Matching, is used to estimate the causal effect of the network across nine labor market outcomes. We find no economically- nor statistically-significant

5G is considered a key technology for society but its implementation is currently surrounded by controversy. Beyond its technical aspects, 5G has become a question of security and national interest for many States as well as an international policy issue. Technological autonomy and digital sovereignty are increasingly recognised as strategic priorities on a global scale. In this context, the EU's position

The demand for faster broadband access is a key driver of FTTH adoption and fixed broadband competition, and therefore of co-investment. This paper assesses the effects on FTTH adoption and competition of FTTH co-investment. Co-investment had indeed been endorsed in the European Electronic Communication Code as a relevant option for conciliating investment and competition. This paper contributes to

Although digitisation offers numerous opportunities for rural areas, they still lag behind cities in terms of access and adoption of Internet-based services. This divide is the result of multiple market failures in both the demand and supply of broadband access, which have been addressed through public, private and community-led initiatives. Based on interviews and ethnographic analysis, this paper

The Simultaneous Multiple Round Ascending Auction (SMRA) pioneered by Milgrom, Wilson and McAfee in 1994 has become a defacto standard auction mechanism for the award of radio spectrum for commercial mobile services around the world. The winning bid price in such SMRA spectrum auctions is of interest as it determines the valuation of the scarce resource by the mobile operators, and also indicates the

This study aims to investigate the underlying factors affecting Indonesian individuals' decision to make online purchases. Primary data were collected through a nationwide survey in 2019 covering all 34 Indonesian provinces. Secondary data regarding Indonesian villages' potential (PODES) are utilized to provide information about the availability of infrastructure at the village level. The standard

This article aims to study the impact of the adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in terms of net job creation, from the countries of the West Africa Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). In other words, do ICTs create more than they destroy jobs? To answer this question, this study focuses on a panel data econometrics technique covering the period from 2000 to 2017. The results

The developments, in information and communication technology (ICT), have significantly impacted on some key sectors of societies (such as transport, health, business, education and communication) in many developed and developing countries of the world. However, the Internet has proliferated unevenly across the world, resulting in a global digital divide. In the past decade, concerns related to technology

South Asian countries have shown remarkable progress in ICT penetration and became the fastest growing countries in the region. This paper empirically investigates the impact of ICT penetration on economic growth of four South Asian economies (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka) for the period from 1995 to 2016. We used the three core ICT indicators (i.e. fixed-phone subscribers, mobile-phone

Over-the-top (OTT) video streaming service centered on Netflix has opened up a new era of broadcasting. The purpose of this study is to understand which characteristics influence local user selection of OTT services. This article compares the users' expectation, satisfaction, and dissatisfaction between Netflix and K-OTT (Korea-based OTT) services in South Korea. Using the Expectancy-value framework

A neutral host company provides wholesale infrastructure sharing services through digital platforms to the downstream-markets enabling customers to take advantage of economies of scale and to access knowledge assets. Through a qualitative study of more than 50 businesses, the analysis of neutral host business antecedents, emergent company strategies, and ecosystem business models reveal that the markets

We examine the direct effect of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on inequality and investigate whether the ICT and inequality relationships can be reinforced by governance indicators of democracy, regulatory quality, rule of law and political stability. Using the panel dataset of 46 African countries over the period 1984–2018 and dynamic two-step system generalized method of moment

This paper analyses the influence of the digital divide on the new IMF financial development index on a panel of 34 African countries over the period 2005–2017. Using the instrumental variables technique, we arrive at the main result that ICT divide is a severe handicap for the financial systems development in Africa. The use of financial development sub-indices relating to financial institutions and

Advancements in productivity in the digital economy constitute an important engine for economic growth. What drives productivity dynamics in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector? This study examines the productivity dynamics of ICT firms across countries from the perspective of corporate balance sheets. We study the effects of intangible assets and leverage on productivity growth

This study quantitatively examines and compares public opinion on regulating fake news, and factors affecting the opinion in three Asian countries: Japan, South Korea, and Thailand. Based on the third-person effect, it is hypothesised that the perceived harm of fake news on society increases people's support for fake news regulation. In parallel, according to the lesser evil principle, it is also anticipated

Streaming video (SV), such as YouTube, is a new media widely used nowadays. Nevertheless, there is a lack of knowledge about advertising in SV. In view of this, through a search in the rich depository of the Scopus database, this article presents the first integrative literature review about advertising in SV. Searching every article and conference paper related to the topic published until May 04

According to the European Commission Recommendation for setting copper and fiber wholesale prices where cost orientation is imposed as a remedy, National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) should adopt a Bottom-UP Long-Run Incremental Cost Plus (BU LRIC+) costing methodology that estimates the current cost that a hypothetical efficient operator would incur to build a modern efficient Next Generation Access

China has made significant progress in broadband development. As of September 2018, 95% of China's population was covered by 4G networks. However, our estimates show that nearly 30% of China's families did not use broadband that year. This study attempts to investigate the characteristics of China's broadband left-behind families. Overall, consistent with the findings for other countries, families

Over the past few years, an increasing convergence can be observed between international and Indian initiatives towards cashlessness, often involving a broad range of actors and influences. Despite this convergence, it is also clear that the conceptualization and implementation, or goals and outcomes of cashlessness can vary considerably, which indicates the need for a closer look at the Indian case

This study empirically investigates characteristics that influence the use of paid content streaming, or over-the-top (OTT) media services. We surveyed paid OTT service users from seven countries—Britain, China, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and the United States— to examine the effects of user demographics and values on paid OTT usage as well as the different user characteristics that affect

As an over-the-top (OTT) and non-subscription-based video-on-demand media service, mobile short-form video application (e.g., TikTok or Douyin) is a free video-sharing social networking service (SNS) distributing short-form video content to smartphones, smart TVs, and tablets. This study investigates the roles of gratifications-sought, narcissism, and personality traits in TikTok engagement behaviors

There is a vast literature that examines the determinants of the gender digital gap in developing countries, and puts forth policy recommendations to mitigate it. However, few studies examine how gender differences in labor force participation and employment patterns affect ICT adoption in general, or Internet use in particular. This matters because employment and the types of jobs that men and women

Over several years, locally-initiated and operated Internet infrastructure projects have attempted to provide online connectivity and simultaneously achieve various social goals. Many generations of do-it-yourself network efforts that are either wireless, such as community mesh networks, or wired, such as fiber cooperatives, exist, but in the United States scaled developments have been stalled for

This paper analyses the deployment of high-speed broadband networks in the European Union (EU). Its aim is to assess the investment required to meet the targets set by the European Commission (EC) for 2025, within the framework of the European Gigabit Society (EGS). This plan aims to ensure the availability and take-up of very high-capacity fixed and wireless networks, in both urban and rural areas

Unlocking spectrum from inefficient, inflexible uses assigned mostly prior to the 1990s to a more efficient, flexible-use model is a key challenge for the Federal Communications Commission. This paper focuses on transitions of spectrum use and looks at how the FCC attempted to minimize transaction and holdout costs while also facilitating competition among service providers. The FCC's recent Broadcast

Over recent decades, information and communication technology (ICT) has had a profound impact on the economy and on society more broadly. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of ICT on socio-economic development in China by considering spatial effects. To understand the overall influence of ICT on socio-economic development, the study used principal component analysis (PCA) to establish

This study examines the economic, technological and cultural implications of Netflix in Thailand on local content industries and regulators. It also explores industry and regulatory responses to Netflix's emergence in a small market like Thailand. The study finds Netflix has markedly affected the industries' value chain but with contrasting impacts for broadcasting and film. Broadcasters have migrated

Information and communications technology (ICT) and digital technologies are being actively used for education, and the ICT-enabled education market continues to grow. The recent COVID-19 pandemic situation is undoubtedly very stressful, because all teaching and learning activities have been forced to move online. This is an international comparative study examining the effects of 21st century skills

This study investigated how investment in the industry of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) has been interlocked with the GDP growth of South Korea. Based on seasonally-adjusted quarterly time-series data for the period between 1999 and 2016 available from the Korea Statistical Information Service, a Vector Error Correction model was applied for the analysis. The results revealed that

In the last few years, digital constitutionalism has emerged as a novel, alternative, Internet Governance approach aiming at ordering and limiting the exercise of power by both states and private operators, as well as at promoting people's control over digital technology development. Although digital constitutionalism is encountering growing popularity, the prevalent non-binding nature of its initiatives

Search engines and over-the-top (OTT) services, which provide Internet media content, have become increasingly important as Internet usage and the number of websites have spread worldwide. This study examined 1) how Internet proliferation in a given country affects the market shares of domestic and global search engine companies, and 2) how search engine shares in domestic markets affect the global

The Broadband Technology Opportunities Program's Public Computer Center (BTOP PCC) grants were awarded to public libraries to increase broadband access for the public. Libraries funded by the BTOP PCC grants improved computers and broadband facilities and offered training programs to help library patrons acquire computer and Internet skills. This study uses data on the BTOP PCC grants and public library

The recent boom of the services sector, especially in developing countries, coincides with the rise of digital technologies. While the former might be attributed to the latter, empirical analysis of this relationship is still limited. This paper fills this gap by examining the effect of digital infrastructure on services sector employment. Employing a panel data comprising 45 Sub-Saharan Africa countries

The global video-on-demand (VOD) market is experiencing drastic change due to the rise of over-the-top (OTT) services such as Netflix and YouTube. Traditional Pay TV service providers such as internet protocol television (IPTV) operators and cable TV providers are making efforts to cope with such changes. One of the ways for such providers to remain competitive is to use the proper service models of

The Digital India initiative is a sweeping set of reformative policies and programs set by the Indian government to bring communications technology to the masses in an effort to bridge the digital divide in the country and equalize underlying economic conditions among Indian citizens. The government has met these challenges by setting forth a series of initiatives that involve the foundation of new

Data and connectivity platforms play a crucial role in the digitalization of different sectors of our society. In complex industrial multi-stakeholder ecosystem contexts connectivity and data platforms are increasingly becoming converged, and private, vertical-specific local 5G networks are emerging. For this context, we depict and analyze alternative configurations for converging connectivity and

In recent years, significant attention has been directed toward the fifth generation of wireless broadband connectivity known as ‘5G’, currently being deployed by Mobile Network Operators. Surprisingly, there has been considerably less attention paid to ‘Wi-Fi 6’, the new IEEE 802.1ax standard in the family of Wireless Local Area Network technologies with features targeting private, edge-networks.

We examine how the Coronavirus pandemic affected consumer valuation of digital services. Governments responded to the pandemic with various forms of lockdowns and social distancing, leading to increased dependence on digital services for work, social engagement, and leisure activities. We identify consumer valuations through surveys where respondents express their reservation prices for digital services

This study examines linkages between information and communication technology (ICT) dynamics, inequality and poverty in order to establish critical masses of poverty and inequality that should not be exceeded in order for ICT dynamics to promote gender inclusive education in 57 developing countries for the period 2012–2016. Poverty is measured with the poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines

Within the growing literature on broadband development, much research has focused on infrastructure competition and spatial effects driving investment incentives in broadband provision. However, less attention has been paid to the geographical factors explaining very high capacity fibre based network rollout. The purpose of this paper is to examine these geographical effects of rollout of these networks

The liberalization of the telecommunications sector in Togo aimed at ensuring access to a better quality of telecommunication services at affordable prices to everyone. While the liberalization policy has increased competition in the sector and reduced significantly telecommunication services prices charged to costumers, statistics on the access and use of telecommunication services in Togo reveal

While macro-level volume growth in India's move towards cashless payment systems is captured relentlessly, most often what gets ignored is a realization that everyday financial transactional practices are socially and culturally embedded in the local contexts. This paper drawn from an anthropological ethnography explores how people use and hierarchically order different payment systems in their everyday

Abstract Internet service is considered by many to be essential, yet many households do not have a home Internet connection. Survey evidence suggests a lack of interest is the primary explanation, but some policymakers and advocates prefer to label price as the dominant factor, thereby laying the groundwork for policy interventions, regulation, and subsidies. Most surveys on the reasons for non-adoption

Abstract Using data from Mexico's 2016 National Household Income and Expenditure Survey (ENIGH), we estimate the impact of Internet access on the multidimensional and income poverty of rural and urban Mexico. Based on a Propensity Score Matching approach, our results show that Internet access helps reduce poverty levels in Mexico. Findings also reveal differentiated effects in the two indicators accounting

Abstract The Indian demonetizations of November 2016 came at an entirely new scale to those of January 1946 and January 1978. This time around, the Narendra Modi government's measures applied to 86.4% of the banknotes and coins in circulation, the equivalent to 11% of GDP. Much analysis has been undertaken on the demonetization. This has largely been critical because of its disastrous consequences