Economic Experiments and Neutrality in Internet Access

Shane Greenstein

No 13158, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Economic experiments yield lessons to firms that can be acquired only through market experience. Economic experiments cannot take place in a laboratory; scientists, engineers, or marketing executives cannot distill equivalent lessons from simply building a prototype or interviewing potential customers and vendors. The historical record illustrates that economic experiments were important for value creation in Internet access markets. In general, industry-wide returns from economic experiments exceed private returns, with several important exceptions. Those conclusions motivate an inquiry into whether regulatory policy can play a role in fostering the creation of value. The net neutrality debate is reinterpreted through this lens. A three part test is proposed for encouraging economic experiments from both broadband carriers and providers of complementary services.

JEL-codes: L5 L86 L96 O31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-com, nep-exp and nep-ict
Note: PR
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Published as Economic Experiments and Neutrality in Internet Access , Shane Greenstein. in Innovation Policy and the Economy, Volume 8 , Jaffe, Lerner, and Stern. 2007

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