Abstract
This paper aims to analyze how the introduction of smartphones, such as iPhones and Android phones affected the mobile broadband market using panel data analysis of all 34 OECD member countries from 2000 to 2012. The data shows that since 2008 or 2009 when iPhones and Android phones were first launched, countries with low HHI in the mobile market tended to raise the mobile broadband adoption rate, while high HHI countires had a lower adoption rate. Moreover, the mobile carriers that launched iPhone first in each country gained market share, while other carriers lost. Using panel data analysis, it is demonstrated that mobile broadband adoption was promoted by the launch of iPhones and Android phones which lead to severer competition among mobile carriers. These results suggest how broadband policy might be developed in each member country.
