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  • Spring 2020
  • Article
  • Journal of Economic Perspectives

The Basic Economics of Internet Infrastructure

By: Shane Greenstein
  • Format:Print
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Abstract

The internet's structure and operations remain invisible to most economists. What determines the economic value of internet infrastructure and the incentives to improve it? What are the open research questions for the most salient policy issues? This article reviews the basic economics of internet infrastructure, focusing attention on the economic questions motivated by public aspirations for ubiquitous availability and widespread adoption of internet protocols.

Keywords

Internet and the Web; Infrastructure; Operations; Economics; Value

Citation

Greenstein, Shane. "The Basic Economics of Internet Infrastructure." Journal of Economic Perspectives 34, no. 2 (Spring 2020): 192–214.
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About The Author

Shane M. Greenstein

Technology and Operations Management
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More from the Author
  • Digital Manufacturing at Amgen By: Shane Greenstein, Kyle R. Myers and Sarah Mehta
  • National Electric Vehicles Sweden (NEVS): Materializing a Vision By: Shane Greenstein and Elena Corsi
  • Mobile Internet Usage and Usage-based Pricing By: Jeffrey Prince and Shane Greenstein
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