Pricing broadband: Survey and open problems

Abstract

Driven by the emerging directions from the FCC and the broadband market, this paper aims at answering the fundamental question of how to use pricing as a lever to enable universal broadband coverage and effective network management in the United States. We address differential pricing as a network management tool, i.e., what to charge, how to charge, and how much to charge. We also outline research towards multi-platform two-sided pricing focusing on ISP that charges both content and application providers. Open problems are highlghted. As a next step, through collaboration we will combine the access to large-scale empirical data with rigorous modeling and analysis; we will go all the way from data collection through mathematical analysis to practical impact on policy decisions and ISP business decisions, thus closing the loop in the study of network economics for universal broadband coverage.