Application Usage as a Function of Volume

Abstract

This paper analyzes data gathered by Internet Service Providers participating in the Copyright Alert System coordinated by the Center for Copyright Information. It shows the correlation between data volumes, distances, and applications, and attempts to analyze data consumption for lawful and unlawful uses.

It asks the following questions:

1. To what extent does the expectation of copyright infringement drive the adoption of broadband services; i. e., is piracy the "killer app" for broadband?

2. How does copyright infringment correlate with the choice of higher speed and higher volume data services?

3. What are the requirements of infringement applications in terms of price, performance, and volume?

4. What non-infringing applications are used by broadband users with high demand for volume and performance?

5. Are graduated response systems effective at reducing infringment?

Keywords: piracy, broadband, infringment, graduated response

JEL Classification: H23, H24