Persistence of the middle mile problem for rural local exchange carriers

Glass, Victor; Prinzivalli, Joseph; Stefanova, Stela

doi:10.1016/j.giq.2013.02.005

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…More recently, as data about broadband speed were released, studies have turned their attention to this aspect of availability. In a follow up study to their 2012 paper about middle mile carriers, Glass et al (2014) found that the average downstream speed provided to customers by rural local exchange carriers is less than the FCC target of 4 Mbps. A study focused on Nebraska compared the cost of Internet access across several platforms (e.g., DSL, wireless, fiber and cable) (Obermier 2018).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of the Literature About Broadband Internet Connections and Rural Development (1995-2022)

Mack,

Loveridge,

Keene

et al. 2023

International Regional Science Review

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This article provides a systematic review of the quantitative social science research on broadband Internet technology in rural areas. Specifically, we summarize the literature on 1) rural broadband availability and adoption behaviors and 2) the implications of these behaviors for rural businesses, public policy initiatives, and regional development. In the studies reviewed, rural areas suffer from both lower availability and lower adoption rates compared to their urban counterparts. However, researchers disagree on whether supply frictions inherent to rural areas or heterogeneous demand and adoption behaviors are the major cause of this outcome. Researchers widely agree that high-speed Internet improves economic outcomes of rural areas, whether it is through increases in business activity or in more general economic development measures (e.g. productivity, jobs, income). Impact evaluations of rural broadband policy initiatives produced mixed results, highlighting the need for a better understanding of agents’ incentives. This review points to four areas for future research. One, assessments of the long-term impact of broadband on rural economies. Two, analyses of the net effect of broadband on economic development outcomes (e.g. migrants, job creation). Three, assessments of economic development impacts associated with broadband speed. Four, assessments of the efficacy of broadband policies.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of the Literature About Broadband Internet Connections and Rural Development (1995-2022)

Mack,

Loveridge,

Keene

et al. 2023

International Regional Science Review

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Video streaming due to services like Netflix is in fact a major contributor to wired Congestion in wired networks also affects rural local exchange carriers (RLECs), due to the persistence of the middle-mile problem for RLECs. While the cost of middle mile bandwidth has declined over the years due to an increase in the DSL demand needed to fill the middle mile, the bandwidth requirements of home users have increased sharply [Glass et al 2012]. The FCC has set a broadband target rate of 4 Mbps downstream speed for home users, but the average speed provided to rural customers is much lower.…”

Section: Isps' Traffic Growthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The FCC has set a broadband target rate of 4 Mbps downstream speed for home users, but the average speed provided to rural customers is much lower. The cost of middle mile upgrades to meet the target speeds will be substantial and could be a barrier to providing greater speeds for subscribers and digital expansion in the rural areas [Glass et al 2012]. Therefore, research on access pricing to bring down middle mile investment costs by reducing the peak capacity and RLECs' overprovisioning needs will be a crucial step in bridging the digital divide.…”

Section: Isps' Traffic Growthmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Survey of Smart Data Pricing: Past Proposals, Current Plans, and Future Trends

Sen,

Joe-Wong,

et al. 2012

Preprint

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Traditionally, network operators have used simple flat-rate broadband data plans for both wired and wireless network access. But today, with the popularity of mobile devices and exponential growth of apps, videos, and clouds, service providers are gradually moving towards more sophisticated pricing schemes. This decade will therefore likely witness a major change in the ways in which network resources are managed, and the role of economics in allocating these resources. This survey reviews some of the well-known past broadband pricing proposals (both static and dynamic), including their current realizations in various consumer data plans around the world, and discusses several research problems and open questions. By exploring the benefits and challenges of pricing data, this paper attempts to facilitate both the industrial and the academic communities' efforts in understanding the existing literature, recognizing new trends, and shaping an appropriate and timely research agenda.

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Exploring the feasibility of rural broadband cooperatives in the United States: The new New Deal?

Schmit

Severson

2021

Telecommunications Policy

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Persistence of the middle mile problem for rural local exchange carriers

Cited by 3 publications

References 1 publication

A Review of the Literature About Broadband Internet Connections and Rural Development (1995-2022)

A Review of the Literature About Broadband Internet Connections and Rural Development (1995-2022)

A Survey of Smart Data Pricing: Past Proposals, Current Plans, and Future Trends

Exploring the feasibility of rural broadband cooperatives in the United States: The new New Deal?

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