NeTS: Small: Innovating Internet Access Pricing: From Theory to Deployment

NeTS：小型：创新互联网接入定价：从理论到部署

• 批准号: 1117126
• 负责人: Mung Chiang
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: Princeton University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-09-01 至 2014-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1117126&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NeTS; Small; Innovating; Internet; Access

There has been no shortage of headline news on Internet access pricing in 2010 and 2011. From AT&T and Verizon shifting to usage-based pricing for wireless access to FCC's revealing the National Broadband Plan, and from Comcast-Netflix/Level3 battle on two-sided pricing to FCC's 2010 December statement on pricing innovations, the Internet is witnessing the start of a transformative period in the interplay between access pricing and the technology of networking. The technical core of this project is organized around four fundamental questions: (1) How much to charge? The debate between flat-rate and usage-based pricing renews with fresh perspectives. (2) How to charge? Should the price charged depend on the time of bandwidth consumption or congestion condition of the network? (3) Whom to charge? When will content/application producers find incentives to pay for higher data rate or heavier bandwidth consumption by consumers? (4) What to charge? What kind of new service classes can be invented, especially in heterogeneous wireless networks with multiple platforms co-existing? The unique features of this project include extensive participation from diverse sectors in the networking industry, implementation of prototypes and trials, and access to and dissemination of data. It combines the collection of fresh, large-volume of empirical data with rigorous design and prototype implementation. The project goes all the way from data analysis through optimization algorithms, to proof-of-concept demos and trials, eventually to practical impact on public policy and ISP business decisions, thus closing the loop in the study of network pricing.Intellectual Merits: While we sharpen and apply a variety of tools from optimization theory, microeconomics, game theory, and statistics, the challenges arising out of these social issues also demand the development of new methodologies, such as supply chain contracts for multi-platform, two-sided pricing with conflicting interests of content providers and Internet service providers (ISPs). Furthermore, the interactions between technology evolution and economic policies are mutual: new enabling technologies such as femtocell raises new questions on the interaction between engineering artifacts and pricing structures.Broader Impacts: The proposal is driven by timely and important questions faced by policy-makers, networking industry, and broadband consumers: (1) Who will pay for the estimated cost of $350B in the next decade to enable universal coverage of broadband services in this country? (2) Can pricing mechanisms be leveraged by the ISP as a practical approach to network management and new service class be created that is net-neutrality compatible? (3) How to regulate the nonstop surge of bandwidth demand to create win-win for both the ISPs and consumers? Furthermore, the project presents unique opportunities for undergraduate curriculum development, extensive industry participation and impact, and unconventional community outreach, both within US and across the world.

2010年和2011年，关于互联网接入定价的头条新闻层出不穷。从AT T和Verizon转向基于使用的无线接入定价到FCC公布的国家宽带计划，从Comcast Netflix/Level 3关于双边定价的战斗到FCC 2010年12月关于定价创新的声明，互联网正在见证接入定价和网络技术之间相互作用的变革时期的开始。这个项目的技术核心是围绕四个基本问题组织的：（1）收费多少？统一费率和基于使用的定价之间的争论以新的视角重新开始。(2)如何收费？收费是否应取决于带宽消耗的时间或网络的拥塞情况？(3)向谁起诉？内容/应用程序生产商何时会找到为消费者支付更高数据速率或更大带宽消耗的激励？(4)收什么钱？可以发明什么样的新服务类别，特别是在多平台共存的异构无线网络中？该项目的独特之处包括网络行业不同部门的广泛参与，原型和试验的实施，以及数据的获取和传播。它将收集大量新鲜的经验数据与严格的设计和原型实现相结合。该项目从数据分析到优化算法，再到概念验证演示和试验，最终对公共政策和ISP业务决策产生实际影响，从而完成了网络定价研究的闭环。当我们从优化理论、微观经济学、博弈论和统计学中提炼和应用各种工具时，由这些社会问题引起的挑战也要求开发新的方法，例如用于多平台的供应链合同、内容提供商和互联网服务提供商（ISP）利益冲突的双边定价。此外，技术发展和经济政策之间的相互作用是相互的：新的使能技术（如毫微微蜂窝）提出了关于工程制品和定价结构之间相互作用的新问题。更广泛的影响：该提案是由政策制定者、网络行业和宽带消费者面临的及时和重要的问题驱动的：（1）谁将在未来十年支付3500亿美元的估计成本，以实现宽带服务在这个国家的普遍覆盖？(2)ISP能否利用定价机制作为网络管理的实用方法，并创建与网络中立性兼容的新服务类别？(3)如何规范不断激增的带宽需求，实现运营商和消费者的双赢？此外，该项目为本科课程开发，广泛的行业参与和影响以及非传统的社区外展提供了独特的机会，无论是在美国还是在世界各地。