{"title":"Critical junctures in United Kingdom telecommunications policy","authors":"Ewan Sutherland","doi":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102934","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102934","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Telecommunications policy in the United Kingdom has had long periods of relatively minor changes, interspersed by short bursts of major changes. The electoral success of the Conservative Party in 1979 opened one of these critical junctures, enabling the creation of a regulatory state that persists today. The subsequent successful export of that regulatory governance model to the European Community (later Union) began a succession of additions and modifications. A smaller scale critical juncture came with the 2003 decision of a new regulator to review the rules for local access networks, leading to the separation of Openreach from BT, which persists today. A much grander critical juncture came with Brexit, severing connections with European Union legal, policy and regulatory processes, including those in telecommunications. Critical junctures can be a useful tool in analysing changes in telecommunications policy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22290,"journal":{"name":"Telecommunications Policy","volume":"49 4","pages":"Article 102934"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143786194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
David Iheke Okorie , Adeniran Adedeji , Chinedu Ifionu
{"title":"Assessing digitalization and the economy: A dynamic recursive CGE modelling approach","authors":"David Iheke Okorie , Adeniran Adedeji , Chinedu Ifionu","doi":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102936","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102936","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Advanced economies continue to adopt and embed digitalization into their everyday activities. One may ponder; how does a significant digitalization upgrade affect developing economies? To answer this question and highlight the economic & environmental effects of digitalization in a developing economy, this study adopts the singly-country dynamic Energy and Environment Integrated computable general equilibrium model (EEICGE) with a 5-year gradual digitalization policy plan design in Nigeria, a developing economy. The shock simulation comparative statics show digitalization-driven investment opportunities in Nigeria and reveal that digitalization increases productivity and national output levels while leading to a substantial decline in the general price levels in the Nigerian economy. It further strengthens Nigeria's international trade revenue and makes its goods and services cheaper in the international (market) communities. Digitalization of the Nigerian economy also results in a structural shift and decline in on-site labour equilibrium demand/supply that is substituted mainly with capital (machines) but increases online entrepreneurial labour services such as online training sessions/classes, content creations like comedy skits, online sells & delivery services, online skill acquisition sessions etc., aimed at increasing agents' labour income. Thus, digitalization increases the economic agents' consumption, income, and welfare while availing the rich household cohorts, firms, and governments the chance to take advantage of the digitalization-driven investment opportunities financed through decreases in consumption budgets. In the end, this study presents pieces of evidence that favour and support substantial digitalization upgrades in developing economies like Nigeria.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22290,"journal":{"name":"Telecommunications Policy","volume":"49 4","pages":"Article 102936"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143785779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A dispute between Netflix and SK Broadband in South Korea: Who should pay the network usage fees?","authors":"Jihong Kim, Heejin Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102913","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102913","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The advancement of digital technologies has led to the evolution of media content delivery methods. In particular, OTT services have experienced an explosive growth in the video content industry. The skyrocketing data traffic increases the burden on ISPs’ infrastructure, and the discourse on CPs’ payment of network usage fees has emerged. In digitalization, data traffic will inevitably increase, and related conflicts are expected to occur worldwide. Accordingly, it is significant to review the case of Netflix-SK Broadband in South Korea, the world’s significant legal dispute over the network usage fees. This study examines network usage fees and network neutrality as concepts relevant to the case, traces the litigation process, identifies the reasons for the settlement of the lawsuit, and discusses policy implications. This study suggests that the issue of network usage fees could become a trade issue and that a regulatory framework needs to be evolved accordingly. This study contributes to understanding the issue of network usage fees that will be increasingly important for global digital industries. As such, it can present a reference to the telecommunications and content industries and even to digital trade for their future debate and development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22290,"journal":{"name":"Telecommunications Policy","volume":"49 3","pages":"Article 102913"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143561376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Framing metaverse identity: A multidimensional framework for governing digital selves","authors":"Liang Yang , Yan Xu , Pan Hui","doi":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102906","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102906","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper proposes a multidimensional framework for <em>Metaverse Identity</em>, addressing its definition, guiding principles, and critical challenges. <em>Metaverse Identity</em> is conceptualized as a user’s digital self, encompassing personal attributes, data footprints, social roles, and economic elements. To elucidate its core characteristics and implications, this framework introduces two guiding principles: <em>Equivalence and Alignment</em> and <em>Fusion and Expansiveness</em>. The first principle advocates for consistency between metaverse and real-world identities in behavioral norms and social standards, ensuring rights protection and establishing conduct guidelines. The second emphasizes the deep integration and transformative evolution of metaverse identities, enabling them to transcend real-world constraints, meet diverse needs, and foster inclusivity. Together, two principles serve as complementary pillars, balancing ethical integration with dynamic co-evolution. Building on this foundation, the study identifies five critical challenges: interoperability, legal boundaries, privacy and identity management, risks from deepfakes and synthetic identities, and identity fragmentation impacting psychological well-being. To address these challenges, strategic recommendations are offered to guide stakeholders. By constructing this framework, the study fills a key theoretical gap, advances systematic research, and provides a foundation for policies and governance strategies to address the complexities of metaverse identities in a rapidly evolving digital domain.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22290,"journal":{"name":"Telecommunications Policy","volume":"49 3","pages":"Article 102906"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143562040","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Competition in the Slovak mobile telephony industry: Effects of new entry","authors":"Jakub Čihák","doi":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102933","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102933","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper uses country-level observations to evaluate the impact of new market entry of mobile network operators on the unit prices of voice and data services, average retail revenue of mobile telecommunication services, and consumption of voice, SMS, and data services. The study uses data from the 2015 market entry of a new operator in Slovakia to estimate the impact on end users and operators. Using difference-in-differences and synthetic control methods, I find that new market entry on the mobile market decreased ARPU and voice unit prices in the short term, but increased the unit prices of data services.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22290,"journal":{"name":"Telecommunications Policy","volume":"49 4","pages":"Article 102933"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143786193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Does artificial intelligence matter for the population aging-inclusive growth nexus? International evidence","authors":"Huwei Wen , Junjie Shang , Xuan-Hoa Nghiem","doi":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102932","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102932","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Population aging is increasingly becoming a major challenge to global sustainable development, and the rapid development of artificial intelligence is expected to produce dividends to cushion the negative impact of population aging. This study uses cross-country panel data from 2003 to 2021 to examine the impact of population aging on inclusive growth and explore the role of artificial intelligence. Empirical results show that population aging has a significant negative impact on global inclusive growth, and demographic changes exacerbate the crisis of sustainable development. Specifically, population aging exacerbates the employment difficulties of groups with downgrading skills, inhibits the technological innovation, and inhibits the acquisition of educational skills, thereby indirectly inhibiting inclusive growth. Although artificial intelligence is the threshold variable for population aging to affect inclusive growth, the effect does not change significantly above and below the threshold. Finite mix models can better capture the buffering effects of artificial intelligence, and as artificial intelligence applications increase, population aging has less negative impact on inclusive growth. These findings contribute to the optimization of public policies for population development and artificial intelligence applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22290,"journal":{"name":"Telecommunications Policy","volume":"49 4","pages":"Article 102932"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143786192","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An empirical analysis on relationships between over-the-top applications for communication and traditional mobile voice services","authors":"Chate Khemakongkanonth","doi":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102916","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102916","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study assesses the relationship between demand for Over-the-top applications for communications (OTT-Comm) and traditional mobile voice calls. Our work contributes to the literature by making use of a unique panel data on consumption of mobile services in Thailand in 2023. The observations’ panel structure and short timeframe allow us to account for unobserved individual heterogeneity that is assumed constant. We estimate static and dynamic panel models for demand in the absence of price variables. Demand for OTT-Comm is found to complement demand for outgoing calls; however, demand for OTT-Comm is found to be independent from voice calls. Both services are interrelated but do not constitute a single market; therefore, mobile operators who were designated to possess significant market power in the mobile service markets should still be regulated.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22290,"journal":{"name":"Telecommunications Policy","volume":"49 3","pages":"Article 102916"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143561656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A study on Metaverse risk factors and user risk perception in South Korea","authors":"SunKyung Shin , Jooyeun Park","doi":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102911","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102911","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The purpose of this study is to identify and categorize risks associated with the use of Metaverse platforms like Roblox, ZEPETO, and ifland, and to provide recommendations for creating a safer Metaverse environment. Based on a comprehensive literature review of Metaverse risks, this study identified a total of 21 specific risk factors. An online survey of 715 users assessed perceived risks (Risk Occurrence × Risk Seriousness). The survey analysis revealed the following key findings. Firstly, Metaverse platform users rated both Risk Occurrence and Risk Seriousness of Cyberbullying and Harassment as high, resulting in this factor having the highest overall Risk Perception. This elevated Risk Perception was observed not only among both male and female users but also across age groups from users in their 20s–40s. In contrast, users aged 50 and above displayed the highest Risk Perception for Language Destruction. Among platforms, ZEPETO recorded the highest level of Risk Perception, followed by Roblox and ifland.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22290,"journal":{"name":"Telecommunications Policy","volume":"49 3","pages":"Article 102911"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143562043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hee Soo Kim , Yumi Jang , Sang Hyun Lee , Seongcheol Kim
{"title":"How to relieve mobile network overload from mobile over-the-top (OTT) traffic: Proposing a user-based content-sharing solution","authors":"Hee Soo Kim , Yumi Jang , Sang Hyun Lee , Seongcheol Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102931","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102931","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Today, a growing number of over-the-top (OTT) service users access content through mobile devices with dynamic consumption patterns, and enhanced mobility allows them to enjoy OTT content anytime and anywhere. However, mobile network infrastructures are struggling to keep up with this rising demand, leading to more frequent access delays and playback errors for users. To improve the OTT experience by enhancing the speed and reliability of content delivery while reducing the operational burden on mobile network operators (MNOs), this study proposes a novel approach that utilizes sociotemporal dynamics and trust among OTT service users to enable more efficient content distribution and sharing. To validate this approach, an agent-based model (ABM) testbed was developed to simulate an ecosystem for OTT content sharing that reflects the social context of user mobility and daily activities. The simulation results reveal that a content-sharing solution based on user trust can effectively reduce mobile data traffic. Building on this insight, we introduce a networking approach called ‘friendship-assisted relaying and distribution’ (FREND), which leverages social relationships to enhance content-sharing networks. Numerical evaluations demonstrate that the FREND solution outperforms traditional physical caching techniques in practical scenarios, offering a more efficient solution for managing mobile data traffic.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22290,"journal":{"name":"Telecommunications Policy","volume":"49 4","pages":"Article 102931"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143786191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Covadonga Gijón, Fernando Fernández-Bonilla, Aurora Ruíz-Rúa
{"title":"Different approaches to Spanish e-government: From use to impact","authors":"Covadonga Gijón, Fernando Fernández-Bonilla, Aurora Ruíz-Rúa","doi":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102918","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.telpol.2025.102918","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper examines the factors that determine the use of e-government services in Spain. It identifies key determinants, including e-services usage synergies, e-trust, e-skills and socio-demographic determinants of e-government use as an outcome of a logit model with national data from 2023. The main results highlight the key role of ICT skills, confidence in technology and the quality of Internet connectivity, revealing significant disparities between socio-economic groups. Meanwhile, it explores the second and third levels of the digital divide, with a special focus on the information and ICT domain and its effective application, analysing the penetration and main uses of e-government in Spain. Policy recommendations call for the enhancement of digital literacy, the fostering of trust in e-government and the improvement of Internet access for vulnerable populations to promote inclusive digital governance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22290,"journal":{"name":"Telecommunications Policy","volume":"49 3","pages":"Article 102918"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143561563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}