The Impact of Intra-Platform Competition on Broadband Prices and Speeds

Abstract

What type of broadband competition has produced the best results for European consumers? To answer this question, the authors compare different types of competition for their impacts on both price and speed, using data from the EU27 countries for 2008–2011. They examine both inter-platform (DSL, cable, fiber, satellite, and wireless local loop) and intra-platform (unbundled local loop [ULL], bitstream, and resale) competition. The authors find that inter-platform competition and ULL access-based entry are both associated with lower prices and higher speeds, with inter-platform competition having the greater impact, and ULL being the most effective form of intra-platform competition.