A PROVINCE-LEVEL CONFIGURATIONAL ANALYSIS OF FIXED AND MOBILE BROADBAND ADOPTION

Abstract

ABSTRACT Understanding the factors that influence broadband adoption has been an important quest for academics and stakeholders involved in broadband planning and deployment as broadband connectivity has become increasingly important for connecting people and communities to economic, social, educational and employment opportunities. Rather than examining the independent effects of explanatory factors, this study investigates complex interactions of key factors linked to high broadband adoption. Employing a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and using data from 81 Turkish provinces in 2020, the study identifies four sufficient configurations for high fixed broadband adoption and five sufficient configurations for high mobile broadband adoption; only one of them is shared by both broadband types. The study complements fsQCA results with Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) and identifies three necessary conditions for high fixed broadband adoption and no necessary condition for high mobile broadband adoption. This study identifies complex non-linear configurations linked to high fixed and mobile broadband adoption, reveals differences between fixed and mobile broadband in terms of adoption mechanisms and draws attention to the geographical disparities in broadband connectivity.