Battle of the Internet Channels: How Do Mobile and Fixed-Line Quality Drive Internet Use?

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Xu, Jiao; Forman, Chris; Hu, Yu Jeffrey
• 署名单位: University of Wisconsin System; University of Wisconsin Madison; Cornell University; University System of Georgia; Georgia Institute of Technology
• 刊物名称: INFORMATION SYSTEMS RESEARCH
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1047-7047
• DOI: 10.1287/isre.2018.0776
• 发表日期: 2019
• 页码: 65-80
• 关键词: broad-band internet; digital divide; models; complementarities; INEQUALITY; patterns; adoption; access

摘要

We study whether and under what conditions mobile Internet networks compete with traditional fixed-line Internet networks by examining how the quality of local fixed-line Internet service influences mobile Internet adoption and use. Empirical analysis shows that a 1 megabits per second (Mbps) increase in local fixed-line Internet speed leads to a 14.9% decline in the likelihood of purchasing a mobile data plan. However, we show there are substantial differences in the extent to which users view these channels as competitors based on individual-and location-specific characteristics and the nature of the application. Fixed-line Internet speed has no effect on the use of mobile offline services, such as taking photos or videos, that do not require a real-time Internet connection. Younger users and those who live in areas with lower fixed-line Internet speeds find the channels to be closer competitors.