Erik Bohlin

• Bohlin, E.; Cappelletti, F., 2024, "Editorial: Policy for 5G and 6G", Telecommunications Policy, March 48(2): 102721 - 102721.
  Abstract: The world of telecommunications has evolved exponentially in recent years. Looking at the full picture, the transmission of information via electronic means has progressed with such an impact on our societies that it has transformed them into network societies. Within just over the past few decades, telecommunication - like a few other technologies - has acted as an enabler of Schumpeter's ‘gale of creative destruction’, leading to a comprehensive industrial and economic revolution on a global scale, shaping the nature of our daily lives.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2024.102721

• Bohlin, E.; Napoli, P. M.; Neogi, P.; Strover, S.; Wu, PhD, I. S., 2022, "50th Anniversary of TPRC—Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy: Looking Ahead to the Next 50 Years", Journal of Information Policy, December 12: 1 - 36.
  Abstract: This Special Section of the JIP celebrates the 50th anniversary of a gathering of communications professionals, regulators, and researchers first held in 1972, convened by the Office of Telecommunications Policy in The White House, and originally called the Telecommunications Policy Research Conference, subsequently renamed TPRC, and currently called TPRC—The Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy. The name changes reflect the ways in which the Conference has evolved and expanded. With 50 years of history of engaging policy makers with the best and most current research available on topics of importance to policy, legislation, and regulation behind it, the Editors believed that it would be a good time to look ahead to the next 50 years. Accordingly, they invited a group of experienced TPRC participants to reflect on the question, what will be the role of TPRC for the next 50 years? The authors were given no further direction and encouraged to reach out on whatever aspect best fit with their own experience and expertise.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.5325/jinfopoli.12.2022.0000

• Bohlin, E., 2022, "Editorial: Digital societies and industrial transformations: ITS 23rd Biennial Conference", Telecommunications Policy, June 46(5): 102362 - 102362.
  Abstract: A selection of papers is presented here, being published after an extensive blind review process involving many reviewers for each paper. The papers reflect a broad take of the conference theme, with nine papers ranging from detailed techno-economic analysis to broad considerations of future mobile systems and their impact on sustainability.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2022.102362

• Bauer, J. M.; Bohlin, E., 2022, "Regulation and innovation in 5G markets", Telecommunications Policy, May 46(4): 102260 - 102260.
  Abstract: This article examines the roles and consequences of different approaches to 5G market design for innovation. The analysis is grounded in a conceptual framework that explicitly considers the complementarities among networks, applications, and services. Good policy arrangements align the legal and regulatory framework with the technical and economic characteristics of the sector and the broader, social visions for new technologies. Because the future development of 5G technology and markets is open-ended, policy has to be developed with incomplete knowledge and under conditions of uncertainty. These circumstances call for adaptive forms of policy and a focus on the creation of guardrails for market players, backed up by regulatory powers to intervene more directly if necessary. In the technologically dynamic 5G system, multiple stable policy constellations are feasible, but they likely will result in divergent outcomes and performance characteristics. Monitoring of the experience with different national and international developments will facilitate global learning and the incremental improvement of policy frameworks.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2021.102260

• Hasbi, M.; Bohlin, E., 2022, "Impact of broadband quality on median income and unemployment: Evidence from Sweden", Telematics and Informatics, January 66: 101732 - 101732.
  Abstract: Based on a unique and exhaustive database, including micro-level pooled cross-sectional data on 23 million observations over nine years, from 2009 to 2017, we assess whether broadband quality is correlated with income and unemployment reduction. Overall, the results do not tend to show any significant effect of download speed on either income or the unemployment rate. However, after distinguishing between educational attainment and city size, we obtained heterogeneous results. While we the results suggest a substitution effect between high-skilled workers and broadband in small and medium cities, we also show that broadband quality is positively correlated with unemployment reduction for low-skilled workers in small cities with broadband over 100 Mbit/s. However, the economic significance of the effect is rather low.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2021.101732

• Hanafizadeh, P.; Shafia, S.; Bohlin, E., 2021, "Exploring the Consequence of Social Media Usage on Firm Performance", Digital Business, October 1(2): 100013 - 100013.
  Abstract: This study aims to identify the consequence of social media usage on firm performance. To this end, it proposes a conceptual map that shows promising linkages between the maturity level realization of an organization in social media usage and its corresponding performance consequences. The conceptual map was developed by combining two theories: performance theory and theory of growth and maturity in social media, and then through systematic mapping. This map can predict what performance consequences will emerge in the organization for each stage of maturity in social media usage. According to this conceptual map, the organization is expected to benefit from accessing and sharing knowledge by realizing the first stage of maturity. The realization of the second stage is expected to establish more relationships with the customers, and the third stage will be followed by product and new processes development. By promoting the organization to the fourth stage, it is expected that communication with the organization's stakeholders emerges via social media. In the fifth stage, social media will help with value creation. Thus, managers and professionals can predict what performance consequences they will benefit from if each stage of maturity is realized.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.digbus.2021.100013

• Feijóo, C.; Kwon, Y.; Bauer, J. M.; Bohlin, E.; Howell, B.; Jain, R.; Potgieter, P.; Vu, K.; Whalley, J.; Xia, J., et al., 2020, "Harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Increase Wellbeing for all: The case for a new technology diplomacy", Telecommunications Policy, July 44(6): 101988 - 101988.
  Abstract: The field of artificial intelligence (AI) is experiencing a period of intense progress due to the consolidation of several key technological enablers. AI is already deployed widely and has a high impact on work and daily life activities. The continuation of this process will likely contribute to deep economic and social changes. To realise the tremendous benefits of AI while mitigating undesirable effects will require enlightened responses by many stakeholders. Varying national institutional, economic, political, and cultural conditions will influence how AI will affect convenience, efficiency, personalisation, privacy protection, and surveillance of citizens. Many expect that the winners of the AI development race will dominate the coming decades economically and geopolitically, potentially exacerbating tensions between countries. Moreover, nations are under pressure to protect their citizens and their interests—and even their own political stability—in the face of possible malicious or biased uses of AI. On the one hand, these different stressors and emphases in AI development and deployment among nations risk a fragmentation between world regions that threatens technology evolution and collaboration. On the other hand, some level of differentiation will likely enrich the global AI ecosystem in ways that stimulate innovation and introduce competitive checks and balances through the decentralisation of AI development. International cooperation, typically orchestrated by intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, private sector initiatives, and by academic researchers, has improved common welfare and avoided undesirable outcomes in other technology areas. Because AI will most likely have more fundamental effects on our lives than other recent technologies, stronger forms of cooperation that address broader policy and governance challenges in addition to regulatory and technological issues may be needed. At a time of great challenges among nations, international policy coordination remains a necessary instrument to tackle the ethical, cultural, economic, and political repercussions of AI. We propose to advance the emerging concept of technology diplomacy to facilitate the global alignment of AI policy and governance and create a vibrant AI innovation system. We argue that the prevention of malicious uses of AI and the enhancement of human welfare create strong common interests across jurisdictions that require sustained efforts to develop better, mutually beneficial approaches. We hope that new technology diplomacy will facilitate the dialogues necessary to help all interested parties develop a shared understanding and coordinate efforts to utilise AI for the benefit of humanity, a task whose difficulty should not be underestimated.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2020.101988

• Vu, K.; Hanafizadeh, P.; Bohlin, E., 2020, "ICT as a Driver of Economic Growth: A survey of the literature and directions for future research", Telecommunications Policy, March 44(2): 101922 - 101922.
  Abstract: This paper conducts a comprehensive literature survey of the papers that examine the link between ICT and economic growth. Using a rigorous screening framework, we found 208 academic papers that were published from 1991 to the cutoff date of October 30, 2018. This survey provides a robust set of insights into the distribution, research strategies, and findings of the surveyed papers, taking into account their geographic focus and type of ICT-growth links. This study also reveals the key factors that predict the citation impact by paper. Among the directions for future research, this paper argues that the time has come for the research on the ICT-growth link to shift its main focus from evidencing its positive relationship to advancing the understanding on why and how emerging digital technologies directly or indirectly affect economic performance.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2020.101922

• Hanafizadeh, P.; Bohlin, E.; Hatami, P., 2019, "Business models of Internet service providers", NETNOMICS: Economic Research and Electronic Networking, April 20: 55 - 99.
  Abstract: A business model can be perceived as a simple, yet focused, representation of the related activities of a company, which describes how to create the value of the company in terms of information, products and services. Given the significance of the Internet service infrastructure in new Internet-based business logic, notably the positive relationship between the growth of the Internet service infrastructure and GDP growth, this paper elaborates on the business model of the Internet service providers (ISPs). Accordingly, the ISPs’ business model, in the scope of connectivity service providers, based on the selected meta model (Hedman and Kalling’s ontology) at the industry level is analyzed. For validation and generalization assessment, the business components of two ISPs at the instance level and the business components of other service providers in the telecom industry (beyond the scope of this research) are compared, point by point, with the proposed business model components, respectively. The results of this study will raise the awareness of ISPs’ executives and new entrants of different aspects of this business. The proposed business model can be considered as a basic model in the area of designing new business models, especially in the area of new Internet-based technologies.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11066-019-09130-7

• Hanafizadeh, P.; Bohlin, E.; Shaikh, A. A., 2018, "Social Network Banking: A Case Study of 100 Leading Banks", International Journal of e-Business Research, April 14(2): 1 - 13.
  Abstract: Social media is widely recognized as a challenging new communication technology in both economic and social contexts. The present article explores how banks have exploited this technology in the range of consumer retail banking services offered by 100 leading global banks on the three major social networking sites SNS: Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Viewing social network SN banking as a separate delivery channel and offering a working definition of SN banking, the article shows that banks have been more cautious than other businesses in using SNS. The available services are classified on nine main dimensions: marketing, financial education and advice, information support, customer support, sales representativeness, customer engagement, online recruitment, survey and polling, and other services. The scope of these SN banking services is for the most part non-cash-based. Conclusions, implications, and recommendations are discussed and future research priorities are identified.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/IJEBR.2018040101

• Gomez-Barroso, J. L.; Feijoo, C.; Quiles-Casas, M.; Bohlin, E., 2017, "The evolution of the telecommunications policy agenda: Forty years of articles in Telecommunications Policy", Telecommunications Policy, November 41(10): 853 - 877.
  Abstract: This paper investigates the evolution of the telecommunications policy agenda by means of text mining forty years –from 1976 to 2016– of papers in the journal Telecommunications Policy. Text mining techniques help identify the key topics, the dominant combinations of concepts and the main areas of research within this multidisciplinary –technical, economic, social, policy– discipline. In addition they depict an evolution of the policy agenda more nuanced than the conventional public service, pre-competition and post-liberalisation stages typical of telecommunications. Also, in combination with bibliometric information, the results display the relationships between areas of research and methodologies, countries and authors’ background, all together providing a deeper understanding of the past, present and future avenues for research in telecommunications policy.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2016.11.005

• Kongaut, C.; Bohlin, E., 2017, "Impact of Broadband Speed on Economic Outputs: An Empirical Study of OECD Countries", Economic and Business Review, June 3(2): 12 - 32.
  Abstract: A number of studies have indicated that higher broadband penetration leads to greater economic impacts. Nevertheless other characteristics of broadband services such as different speeds are becoming more important to determine the economic impacts. This study estimates the relationship between broadband speed and economic outputs. The results show that broadband speed contributes positively to economic outputs such as GDP. The effects of broadband speed are also greater in countries with lower income. The policy recommendation is therefore that countries should focus on and encourage high speed broadband infrastructure and its adoption in their national broadband plans and policies.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.18559/ebr.2017.2.2

• Kongaut, C.; Bohlin, E., 2016, "Investigating mobile broadband adoption and usage: A case of smartphones in Sweden", Telematics and Informatics, August 33(3): 742 - 752.
  Abstract: Looking back at the last decade, the mobile phone has undergone great development, from only voice calls and text messages to a multi-purpose device that includes a camera, music player, games, and even a small computer. The development of internet features in mobile phones has also continuously and extensively changed from providing only limited internet browsing in the early 2000s to high quality video on demand today. The speed of the internet has also increased significantly since the introduction of smartphones. After the implementation of 3G networks in the past decade and the recent LTE networks of 4G technology in the last few years, the transmission speed of mobile internet supports the use of mobile phones to provide high-speed internet services known as mobile broadband. Furthermore, recent studies have suggested that mobile broadband has a positive effect on economic outputs as well as reducing the problem of the digital divide, especially in rural areas where fixed broadband infrastructure is limited or not available. This paper analyses how mobile internet adoption has developed in the last decade and what factors determine mobile broadband adoption at this stage when smartphones are highly developed and the transmission speed is much improved. In this paper, Sweden is selected as a case study. The data set used in this paper is mainly based on the annual questionnaire conducted by the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) in 2013. The methodology of this paper applies bivariate probit with sample selection since the data set consists of two sets of binary outcomes (adoption and usage). The findings show that smartphone adoption is less likely in the group of respondents who are older, have a lower income, lower level of education and live outside Stockholm. The findings on smartphone usage show that lower income respondents tend to use social networking, online shopping and internet telephone more than those with a higher income. The reasons could be explained by these kinds of applications reducing the costs for users compared with offline services. Identifying the determinants of mobile broadband adoption and usage is very useful for broadband policy, especially a policy related to reducing the digital divide. Policymakers can therefore use these findings to encourage the population to use the applications and services, especially people who are still non-adopters.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2015.12.002

• Kongaut, C.; Bohlin, E., 2015, "Towards broadband targets on the EU Digital Agenda 2020: discussion on the demand side of broadband policy", Info: the journal of policy, regulation and strategy for telecommunications, information and media, May 17(3): 1 - 15.
  Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a guideline for the European Union (EU) to support high-speed broadband development based on economic frameworks and successful countries, Korea and Sweden. In the past decade, both policymakers and academic scholars have so far emphasised broadband policy mostly on the supply side. Increasing broadband adoption, nevertheless, is important for the EU to meet its Digital Agenda. Therefore, demand-side policy is also needed to stimulate high-speed broadband adoption in the EU. Design/methodology/approach This paper applies frameworks of network externalities and the information and communications technology ecosystem to provide a better understanding of the relationship between supply- and demand-side policies. In addition, Korea and Sweden, which are two successful countries in high-speed broadband development particularly their demand-side policy, are chosen as a comparative case study. Findings Both supply and demand sides are important to broadband policy to achieve the EU Digital Agenda 2020. It is also important for the policymakers to consider that demand-side policy should complement the implementation of supply-side policy, not substitute it. The demand side can be a great driver, especially with the development of content and applications for high-speed broadband. Originality/value This paper fills the research gap on broadband policy on the demand side which is currently limited in comparison to the supply-side studies.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/info-02-2015-0017

• Bohlin, E.; Kongaut, C., 2014, "Unbundling and infrastructure competition for broadband adoption: Implications for NGA regulation", Telecommunications Policy, September 38(8-9): 760 - 770.
  Abstract: The common idea of open access policy is that it refers to the sharing of particular elements, such as wholesale access networks, backhaul, under-sea cable and internet exchange points in fixed and mobile networks. In broadband networks, the use of open access policy usually refers to the infrastructure parts, which are considered a bottleneck. Many regulators have generally focused open access policy on fixed broadband networks, especially digital subscriber line (DSL) technology, in the last decade. Local loop unbundling (LLU) regulation is one of the main strategies for the regulator to open access to an incumbent’s bottleneck network in order to soften its monopoly power and encourage competition in the DSL broadband market. The OECD countries have different strategies regarding unbundling local loop and infrastructure competition, as the characteristics and infrastructure networks of countries vary. There are currently more choices of next generation network (NGN) technologies to develop. While local loop unbundling may not be applied fully to NGN development (the cost is not sunk, more technologies are available to implement, incentive of investment by operator), it can indicate benefits and drawbacks of open access policy in the past decade that can be adapted to NGN. The empirical results of this study show that during 2002–2008, LLU regulation was one of the strategies used to increase broadband adoption in countries that had difficulty encouraging infrastructure competition. Unbundling regulation can therefore be implemented carefully and differently in each country that has inefficiency that is harmful to consumers in its market from a monopoly incumbent. Infrastructure competition, on the other hand, is introduced as another strategy to increase broadband adoption. The empirical results of this study indicate that infrastructure competition can be used as a strategy when there are already enough infrastructures in the area or country. These results support the idea of using open access and infrastructure competition policy depending on the existing competition of broadband infrastructure in each country.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2014.06.003

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