Electricity rates and the funding of municipal broadband networks: An empirical analysis

This article examines the most effective business model for the optimal exploitation of the currently developing broadband metropolitan area networks in various municipals around the globe. The proper exploitation strategy of the municipal broadband networks to be deployed could boost the demand for broadband connections and applications. The article describes the relevant, available business models in detail, including ways for broadband infrastructures’ expansion, and deals with viability issues, regarding the managing authority which is responsible for the broadband metropolitan networks. A business model, specifically in the current article, determines the way in which the exploitation of a metropolitan, community-owned, optical network will be effectuated. Municipalities may play a critical role in enabling the deployment of broadband infrastructures by the private sector (Government of Sweden, 2007): • Placing open conduit under all freeways, overpasses, railway crossings, canals and bridges. • Allowing over lashing of fiber on existing aerial fiber structures. • Forcing existing owners of conduit, such as electrical companies, telephone companies, and so forth, to make 100% of their conduit accessible to third parties. • Coordinate construction of all new conduits, especially by building entrances to minimize the “serial rippers” and make all such conduit open to third parties. However, the development of such broadband infrastructures raises several questions regarding the business model that shall be used for their exploitation (e.g., what will be the role of the municipality, what will be the degree of government interventionism, how healthy competition is going to be promoted, how the network’s viability is going to be ensured, etc.). Therefore, this article intends to: • Record international experience with respect to broadband business models for the exploitation of broadband infrastructures. • Summarize the available business models and present, through comparative analysis, the advantages and disadvantages of each business model. The remaining of this article is structured as follows: The next section presents the international experience in developing broadband metropolitan area networks in various municipalities around the globe. Next, the aticle presents and compares the available business models for the optimal exploitation of the broadband municipal networks, and presents the future trends in the area. Finally, the article is concluded.

Download Full-text

Design aspects of open municipal broadband networks

Proceedings of the 1st international conference on Access networks - AcessNets '06 ◽

10.1145/1189355.1189375 ◽

2006 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Antonios Alexiou ◽

Christos Bouras ◽

Dimitrios Primpas

Keyword(s):

Broadband Networks ◽

Municipal Broadband

Download Full-text

Providing incentives for private investment in municipal broadband networks: Evidence from the Netherlands

Telecommunications Policy ◽

10.1016/j.telpol.2009.08.005 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 33 (10-11) ◽

pp. 582-595 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Bert M. Sadowski ◽

Alberto Nucciarelli ◽

Marc de Rooij

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

Private Investment ◽

Broadband Networks ◽

Municipal Broadband

Download Full-text

An Empirical Analysis of the Obtrusiveness of and Participants' Compliance with the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR)

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759.23.4.248 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 248-257 ◽

Cited By ~ 58

Author(s):

Matthias R. Mehl ◽

Shannon E. Holleran

Keyword(s):

Empirical Analysis ◽

Sampling Method ◽

Daily Life ◽

Assessment Method ◽

Data Confidentiality ◽

Short Term ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Two Samples ◽

Audio Recorder ◽

Term Monitoring

Abstract. In this article, the authors provide an empirical analysis of the obtrusiveness of and participants' compliance with a relatively new psychological ambulatory assessment method, called the electronically activated recorder or EAR. The EAR is a modified portable audio-recorder that periodically records snippets of ambient sounds from participants' daily environments. In tracking moment-to-moment ambient sounds, the EAR yields an acoustic log of a person's day as it unfolds. As a naturalistic observation sampling method, it provides an observer's account of daily life and is optimized for the assessment of audible aspects of participants' naturally-occurring social behaviors and interactions. Measures of self-reported and behaviorally-assessed EAR obtrusiveness and compliance were analyzed in two samples. After an initial 2-h period of relative obtrusiveness, participants habituated to wearing the EAR and perceived it as fairly unobtrusive both in a short-term (2 days, N = 96) and a longer-term (10-11 days, N = 11) monitoring. Compliance with the method was high both during the short-term and longer-term monitoring. Somewhat reduced compliance was identified over the weekend; this effect appears to be specific to student populations. Important privacy and data confidentiality considerations around the EAR method are discussed.

Download Full-text