How important is mastering information and communication technologies (ICT) in modern labor markets? We present the first evidence on this question, drawing on unique data that provide internationally comparable information on ICT skills in 19 countries. Our identification strategy relies on the...

This research investigates the drivers and barriers to the adoption of FTTx broadband across the world. More specifically it explains the reason for wide disparity in adoption between countries of similar socio-economic structure. The barriers and drivers for both the demand for and the supply...

Discussions about broadband policy in the United States today inevitably begin by citing OECD estimates. Many analysts interpret the low ranking of the U.S. in broadband penetration relative to other OECD countries as meaning that U.S. broadband policy has been a failure. Whatever the...

In POLICY BULLETIN NO. 54, I compared fixed broadband speeds across thousands of U.S. and foreign cities. My analysis revealed that average download speeds for fixed broadband are typically faster in the United States and often materially so, and U.S. upload speeds are comparable to other...

I compare fixed broadband speeds for a sample of thousands of U.S. and foreign cities. My analysis reveals that download speeds are typically faster in the United States and often materially so. Comparisons of upload speeds are mixed, but the differences are small and statistically no different...