Rural broadband: The provider matters

Abstract

As broadband use has grown over the past few years, scholars and policymakers have turned some of their attention to the urban-rural broadband divide. While existing research offers important insights into this divide, no research has fully explored the differences in broadband deployment patterns among various types of telecommunications providers, including both large and small telephone and cable providers. Through data collected from interviews with telecommunications company representatives, this research assesses the extent to which different types of providers are deploying broadband in urban and rural areas. The interviews are also used to ascertain factors shaping the broadband deployment decision-making process for different types of providers. Both the quantitative and qualitative elements of this research demonstrate clear patterns among different types of providers in relation to rural broadband deployment, as different types of companies are influenced by somewhat unique regulations, competitiveness concerns, resource levels, and existing infrastructure conditions.