The Impacts of the Lifeline Subsidy on High-Speed Internet Access
评估美国生命线补贴对高速互联网价格、需求和福利的影响，发现补贴能激励低收入家庭接入宽带，但效果取决于市场定价方式。
This paper evaluates the impacts of the Lifeline subsidy on high-speed Internet prices, demand, and welfare. Results show that low-income households would require large price reductions to subscribe to basic broadband. Simulations of competition between cable and telephone firms show that the $9.25 subsidy lowers the prices for low-quality plans and incentivizes about 6 percent of low-income households to take up high-speed Internet. When firms price discriminate by charging different prices to low- and high-income households choosing the same plan, about 25 percent of low-income households enter the market and consume high-speed Internet. When the social planner sets prices and price discriminates, 68 percent of low-income households enter the market, and more higher-speed plans are consumed.