Authors
Shane Greenstein, Martin Peitz, Tommaso Valletti
Publication date
2016/5/1
Journal
Journal of Economic Perspectives
Volume
30
Issue
2
Pages
127-150
Publisher
American Economic Association
Description
The last decade has seen a strident public debate about the principle of “net neutrality.” The economic literature has focused on two definitions of net neutrality. The most basic definition of net neutrality is to prohibit payments from content providers to internet service providers; this situation we refer to as a one-sided pricing model, in contrast with a two-sided pricing model in which such payments are permitted. Net neutrality may also be defined as prohibiting prioritization of traffic, with or without compensation. The research program then is to explore how a net neutrality rule would alter the distribution of rents and the efficiency of outcomes. After describing the features of the modern internet and introducing the key players, (internet service providers, content providers, and customers), we summarize insights from some models of the treatment of internet traffic, framing issues in terms of the positive economic factors …
Total citations
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Scholar articles
S Greenstein, M Peitz, T Valletti - Journal of Economic Perspectives, 2016