A Reminder Why the Quello Center Net Neutrality Impact Study is Important

A Reminder Why the Quello Center Net Neutrality Impact Study is Important | Quello Center | Michigan State University: "While these increases may have nothing to do with FCC policy, they seem very difficult to reconcile with Singer’s strongly-assserted argument, especially when coupled with the above discussion of company-specific reasons for large CapEx declines for AT&T and Charter.  As that discussion suggests, the reality behind aggregated industry numbers (especially when viewed through a short-term window of time) is often more complex and situation-specific than our economic models and ideologies would like it to be.  This may make our research harder and messier to do at times, but certainly not less valuable.  It also speaks to the value of longitudinal data collection and analysis, to better understand both short-term trends and those that only become clear over a longer term.  That longitudinal component is central to the approach being taken by the Quello Center’s study of net neutrality impacts.

One last general point before closing out this post. I didn’t see any reference in Singer’s piece or the AEI-published follow-ups to spending by non-incumbent competitive providers, including municipally and privately owned fiber networks that are offering attractive combinations of speed and price in a growing number of markets around the country. While this category of spending may be far more difficult to measure than investments by large publicly-owned ISPs, it may be quite significant in relation to public policy, given its potential impact on available speeds, prices and competitive dynamics." 'via Blog this'