Internet Adoption Trends during COVID-19

Amaglobeli, David and Gu, Mengfei and Moszoro, Marian and Zhou, Yue and Escalante, Patricia (2023): Internet Adoption Trends during COVID-19. Published in: IMF Note No. 2023/001 (31 March 2023): pp. 1-10.

Abstract

This paper examines the common perception that internet adoption accelerated globally during the COVID- 19 pandemic. The data show little evidence of a faster expansion of access to internet (extensive margin) across all country income groups but strong evidence of acceleration in the improvement in the quality of connectivity (intensive margin). The data also support that, despite a decline in internet prices over the past decade, affordability of digital services remains a concern for low-income developing countries.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Internet Adoption, Digitalization, COVID-19
• Subjects: L - Industrial Organization > L1 - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance > L16 - Industrial Organization and Macroeconomics: Industrial Structure and Structural Change ; Industrial Price Indices; L - Industrial Organization > L9 - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities > L96 - Telecommunications

References

European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Paola Proietti, Patrizia Sulis, Carolina Perpiña Castillo, and others. 2022. “New Perspectives on Territorial Disparities: From Lonely Places to Places of Opportunities.” Report JRC126033, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg City.

Gozzi, Nicolò, Niccolò Comini, and Nicola Perra. 2022. “The Adoption of Non-pharmaceutical Interventions and the Role of Digital Infrastructure during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Colombia, Ecuador, and El Salvador.” arXiv. Accessed February 14, 2023.

Jaumotte, Florence, Longji Li, Andrea Medici, Myrto Oikonomou, Carlo Pizzinelli, Ippei Shibata, Jiaming Soh, and Marina M. Tavares. 2023. “Digitalization during the COVID-19 Crisis: Implications for Labor Markets and Productivity in Advanced Economies.” IMF Staff Discussion Note 23/03, International Monetary Fund, Washington, DC.

Kumar, Utkarsh, David Amaglobeli, and Mariano Moszoro. 2023. “Determinants and Social Dividends of Digital Adoption.” IMF Working Paper 23/065, International Monetary Fund, Washington, DC.

University of Chicago. 2022. “Internet Equity Initiative.” Data Science Institute. Accessed February 28, 2023.