The Impact of Local Loop Unbundling on DSL Service Diversity

Abstract

This paper focuses on the impact of unbundling the local loops (LLU) policy on DSL service diversity through mediation roles played by inter-DSL and intra-technology market competition. This study provides another interesting perspective on the influence of LLU policy on DSL service diversity, which is a key consumer concern for DSL services, and is usually taken for granted by researchers. However, the linkage between LLU policy and DSL service diversity has not been found in extant literatures. Our empirical evidence, based on data from 9 countries, partly confirms the prediction of the role of LLU policy as the main driver of value-added DSL service diversity.