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Wired and Hired: Employment Effects of Subsidized Broadband Internet for Low-Income Americans

Author

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  • George W. Zuo
Abstract
I present evidence on the relationship between broadband pricing and labor market outcomes for low-income individuals. Specifically, I estimate the effects of a Comcast service providing discounted broadband to qualifying low-income families. I use a triple differences strategy exploiting geographic variation in Comcast coverage, individual variation in eligibility, and temporal variation pre- and postlaunch. Local program availability increased employment rates and earnings of eligible individuals, driven by greater labor force participation and decreased probability of unemployment. Internet use increased substantially where the program was available.

Suggested Citation

  • George W. Zuo, 2021. "Wired and Hired: Employment Effects of Subsidized Broadband Internet for Low-Income Americans," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 13(3), pages 447-482, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejpol:v:13:y:2021:i:3:p:447-82
    DOI: 10.1257/pol.20190648
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Yu, Li & Ma, Tiemeng & Wu, Sirong & Lyu, Zhuoyang, 2023. "How does broadband internet affect firm-level labor misallocation: The role of information frictions," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    2. Maria Barrero, Jose & Bloom, Nicholas & Davis, Steven J., 2021. "Internet access and its implications for productivity, inequality and resilience," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 113869, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Florian Gunsilius & David Van Dijcke, 2023. "Free Discontinuity Regression: With an Application to the Economic Effects of Internet Shutdowns," Papers 2309.14630, arXiv.org, revised Jan 2024.
    4. Rosa Sanchis-Guarner & José Montalbán & Felix Weinhardt, 2021. "Home Broadband and Human Capital Formation," Working Papers 923, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.
    5. Xiumei Wang & Yongjian Huang & Yingying Zhao & Jingxuan Feng, 2023. "Digital Revolution and Employment Choice of Rural Labor Force: Evidence from the Perspective of Digital Skills," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-19, June.
    6. Guiffard, Jean-Baptiste, 2024. "Valuing the virtual: The impact of fiber to the home on property prices in France," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(4).
    7. Joop Age Harm Adema & Cevat Giray Aksoy & Panu Poutvaara, 2021. "Mobile Internet Access and the Desire to Emigrate," ifo Working Paper Series 365, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    8. Espín, Augusto & Rojas, Christian, 2024. "Bridging the digital divide in the US," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    9. Trang Thi Pham, 2023. "Mobile Internet and income improvement: Evidence from Viet Nam," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2023-145, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    10. Daniel Goetz, 2022. "Does providing free internet access to low‐income households affect COVID‐19 spread?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(12), pages 2648-2663, December.
    11. Landgraf, Steven W., 2023. "Measuring incumbent ISP response to municipal broadband opt-out referenda in Colorado," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(10).
    12. Marina Dodlova & Krisztina Kis-Katos & Anna Kochanova & Olivia Wirth, 2023. "Mobile technologies and firm formalization: Evidence from Uganda," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2023-99, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    13. Díaz, Carlos & Dodel, Matías & Menese, Pablo, 2022. "Can one laptop per child reduce digital inequalities? ICT household access patterns under Plan Ceibal," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(9).
    14. Yang, Tong & Zhang, Xun, 2022. "FinTech adoption and financial inclusion: Evidence from household consumption in China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    15. Sabatini, Fabio, 2023. "The Behavioral, Economic, and Political Impact of the Internet and Social Media: Empirical Challenges and Approaches," IZA Discussion Papers 16703, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media
    • L86 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Information and Internet Services; Computer Software

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