Broadband Coverage Research Articles

Функционирование умного сельского хозяйства в АПК городской агломерации

The article describes the possibilities and feasibility of using digital technologies in agriculture; population growth trends in the world and the need to use smart technologies to ensure increased labor productivity in the industry. The article identifies barriers to the implementation of digitalization in agriculture: lack of accessible infrastructure (broadband and incomplete Internet coverage in the re-gions); partial use of digital technology capabilities; lack of financial resources for the implementation of technologies; distrust of digital technologies; the presence of a large number of reporting forms in the industry; lack of information on digital technologies and the results of their use; low qualification of personnel in the field of digital technologies. The article reflects digital technologies for the formation of smart agriculture in the agro-industrial complex in modern conditions. The produc-tion and financial indicators of the Krasnodarskoye educational farm of the Kuban State Agrarian University over the past 5 years are analyzed as successfully demonstrating the experience of functioning of smart agriculture in the agro-industrial complex of the Krasnodar urban agglomeration.

Association between cooking with solid fuels and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults in China: The mediating effect of the residential environment

BackgroundDepression is a common issue among elderly people in both developing and developed countries. Existing research indicates that cooking with solid fuels has a negative impact on the mental health of middle-aged and elderly people (aged 45 and older). However, the potential role of the residential environment in this process is not yet clear. Clarifying this issue may help identify effective interventions to improve public health for elderly people. This study aimed to explore the association between cooking with solid fuels and depressive symptoms, as well as the potential mediating role of the residential environment in this relationship. MethodThis study utilized cross-sectional data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) for 2020, involving approximately 19,000 respondents aged 45 years and older. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to explore the association between cooking with solid fuels and depressive symptoms. Additionally, a range of potential covariates were adjusted, and the Sobel test was applied to assess the potential mediating effect of the residential environment on this relationship. ResultsAccording to the fully adjusted model, cooking with solid fuels was significantly associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults (β = 0.315, P < 0.001), and this finding was confirmed through robustness tests using different propensity score matching methods. Heterogeneity analysis revealed that this association was particularly significant among men (β = 0.318, P < 0.001), those aged 60–74 (β = 0.347, P < 0.001), and individuals with a middle school education (β = 0.353, P < 0.001). Mediation effect analysis revealed that indoor cleanliness (β = 0.0090, P < 0.001), indoor broadband coverage (β = 0.0077, P < 0.001), and the installation of indoor air purifiers (β = 0.0010, P < 0.1) mediated the relationships between cooking with solid fuels and depressive symptoms. ConclusionGiven the growing attention given to improving indoor environments and enhancing mental health, the findings of this paper highlight that improving indoor cleanliness, increasing broadband coverage indoors, and installing air purifiers can effectively intervene in and prevent depressive symptoms caused by cooking with solid fuels.

Metamaterial terahertz device with temperature regulation function that can achieve perfect absorption and complete reflection conversion of ultrawideband

The field of terahertz devices is important in terahertz technology. However, most of the current devices have limited functionality and poor performance. To improve device performance and achieve multifunctionality, we designed a terahertz device based on a combination of VO2 and metamaterials. This device can be tuned using the phase-transition characteristics of VO2, which is included in the triple-layer structure of the device, along with SiO2 and Au. The terahertz device exhibits various advantageous features, including broadband coverage, high absorption capability, dynamic tunability, simple structural design, polarization insensitivity, and incident-angle insensitivity. The simulation results showed that by controlling the temperature, the terahertz device achieved a thermal modulation range of spectral absorption from 0 to 0.99. At 313 K, the device exhibited complete reflection of terahertz waves. As the temperature increased, the absorption rate also increased. When the temperature reached 353 K, the device absorption rate exceeded 97.7% in the range of 5–8.55 THz. This study used the effective medium theory to elucidate the correlation between conductivity and temperature during the phase transition of VO2. Simultaneously, the variation in device performance was further elucidated by analyzing and depicting the intensity distribution of the electric field on the device surface at different temperatures. Furthermore, the impact of various structural parameters on device performance was examined, offering valuable insights and suggestions for selecting suitable parameter values in real-world applications. These characteristics render the device highly promising for applications in stealth technology, energy harvesting, modulation, and other related fields, thus showcasing its significant potential.

The welfare effects of mobile broadband internet: Evidence from Nigeria

This paper estimates the impacts of mobile broadband coverage on household welfare in Nigeria. The analysis exploits a unique data set that integrates a longitudinal household survey with information from Nigerian mobile operators on the deployment of mobile broadband internet between 2010 and 2016. Overall, estimates show that mobile broadband coverage had large and positive impacts on household consumption thereby reducing poverty significantly. This effect is if anything stronger among poorer households. Labor force participation explains a big part of this welfare-enhancing effect.

Terahertz-polarizing effect based on geometric anisotropy of Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have garnered considerable attention due to their unique properties, such as thinness and excellent electronic properties. The inherent anisotropy of 2D nanomaterials, which is characterized by their high aspect ratio, can maximize the directional functionality to enhance the conductivity and utilization of edges. Here, we demonstrate how to utilize the edges of titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx) MXene nanosheet to control the linear polarization in the terahertz (THz) frequency range. By a simple and unique vertical alignment exploiting the high surface charge and excellent colloidal dispersibility of MXene nanosheets, MXene nanosheets are vertically oriented along an applied AC electric field. The well-aligned edges justify the THz polarizing effect, revealing outstanding performances such as the broadband coverage in 0.2–1.5 THz and an exceptional extinction ratio reaching 20 dB. Furthermore, we vary the local orientation of the vertical MXene nanosheets by tailoring the applied electric field, enabling spatially controllable polarization capabilities. Our results can provide a generic tool for the utilization of 2D nanomaterials in diverse potential applications in optics and electronics.

Spatial Patterns of Drone Adoption: Insights from Communities in Southern California

Most US cities have seen a rapid proliferation of Civilian drones in the past decade. This study applies spatial regression models to identify the potential spatial clustering of drone adoption and the effects of socioeconomic, Information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, and land use characteristics, with a focus on the association between drone adoption and high-speed broadband coverage (which provides access to information and infrastructure for drone technology). Drone adoption exhibited a significant spatial clustering pattern, indicating spatial interaction in innovation adoption. The age, income, occupation, and land use characteristics significantly explained the drone adoption rate, while populations of color and communities with lower broadband coverage had lower drone adoption rates, indicating racial and ethnic disparities in innovation technology adoption. The underlying digital divide amplifies such disparities and requires the development of policy interventions to reduce inequality.

Mapping and Spatial Analysis to Expand Rural Broadband Access

High-speed broadband internet access is a critically important issue for many aspects of daily life, yet populations in rural areas are often unserved or underserved with reliable internet connectivity. Expanding broadband internet coverage in rural areas may have significant economic potential, especially since it enables precision farming which in turn increases yields, particularly for row crops such as corn and soybeans. This paper introduces methods that utilize GIS spatial analysis and remote sensing to assist in efforts to expand rural broadband access using case study counties in Illinois. Specifically, the methods presented here: (1) quantify current cropland production as well as future potential production in currently unserved or underserved rural areas; and (2) automate mapping of vertical assets from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data that may be utilized as high points to expand broadband coverage. Collectively, these methodologies may be used for policy advocacy and to inform the decision-making process as future broadband expansion initiatives are considered in rural areas.

Referral of patients from rural primary care clinics to telemedicine vendors for opioid use disorder treatment: A mixed-methods study.

Rural primary care clinics can expand their medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD) capacity by coordinating care with external telemedicine (TM) vendors specializing in addiction medicine. This study used mixed methods to identify factors that influence patient referrals from rural primary care clinics to TM vendors for MOUD. Between July/August 2020 and January/February 2021, 582 patients with OUD were identified across six primary care sites; that included 68 referred to an external TM vendor to receive MOUD. Mixed effects logistic regression identified individual and site-level factors associated with being referred to the TM vendor. Clinic providers and staff participated in in-depth interviews and focus groups to discuss their considerations for referring patients to the TM vendor. Patient referrals were positively associated with local household broadband coverage (OR = 2.55, p < 0.001) and negatively associated with local population density (OR = 0.01, p = 0.003) and the number of buprenorphine prescribers in the county (OR = 0.85, p < 0.001). Clinic personnel expressed appreciation for psychiatric expertise and the flexibility to access MOUD brought by the TM vendor. Perceived concerns about TM referral included a lack of trust with external providers, uncertainty about TM service quality, workflow delays, and patients' technological and insurance challenges. This study revealed several clinic-level factors that may potentially influence patient referral to TM vendor services for MOUD. To facilitate the referral process and utilization of TM vendors, efforts should be made to foster open communication and trust between clinic providers and TM vendors, streamline workflows, and improve Internet access for patients.

Infrared-modulated photoluminescence spectroscopy: from wide-band coverage to micro-area and high-throughput scanning imaging

Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy has been widely used in the ultraviolet-near-infrared spectral range for over seventy years since the very early report in 1950’s, because it not only reveals the electronic structure information of, e.g., band gap and impurity energy levels of semiconductor materials, but also serves as an efficient tool for analyzing interfacial structures, carrier lifetime, and quantum efficiency. In the infrared band beyond about 4 μm, however, the study of PL spectroscopy had been limited for decades long due to strong thermal background interference, weak PL signal and low detection ability. In this review, a conventional PL method is introduced based on a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, and a continuous-scan FTIR spectrometer-based double-modulation PL (csFTIR-DMPL) method is briefly described that was proposed in 1989 for breaking through the dilemma of the infrared band, and developed continuously in the later more than 20 years, with its limitations emphasized. Then, a step-scan FTIR spectrometer-based infrared modulated PL (ssFTIR-MPL) method reported in 2006 is analyzed with highlights on its advantages of anti-interference, sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio, followed by enumerating its effectiveness demonstration and application progress in many research groups worldwide. Further developments in recent years are then summarized of wide-band, high-throughput scanning imaging and spatial micro-resolution infrared modulated PL spectroscopic experimental systems, and the technological progresses are demonstrated of infrared-modulated PL spectroscopy from 0.56-20 μm visible-far-infrared broadband coverage to &gt; 1k high-throughput spectra imaging and ≤2-3 μm spatial micro-resolution. Typical achievements of collaborative research are enumerated in the visible-far-infrared semiconductor materials of dilute nitrogen/dilute bismuth quantum wells, HgCdTe epitaxial films, and InAs/GaSb superlattices. The results presented demonstrate the advancement of infrared modulated PL spectroscopy and the effectiveness of the experimental systems, and foresee further application and development in the future.

A Comparative Study of Digital City Development Using the Data-Driven Smart City Index

This research compares and contrasts the evolution of smart cities using a comparative analysis based on the Data-Driven Smart City Index. The study includes four important tables: the Digital City Development Index, which shows City D as a model smart city because of its high Infrastructure, Data Utilization, and Connectivity Scores, offers a thorough summary of the development of smart cities. The three components of the Data-Driven Smart City Index are Environmental Sustainability, Governance, and Quality of Life. City D excels in all three areas. The importance of big data analytics, IoT adoption, and open data usage—all of which City D leads—is emphasized in Data Utilization in Digital City Development. Lastly, Connectivity Infrastructure in Digital Cities emphasizes the significance of cutting-edge technology, with City D leading the way in terms of availability of public Wi-Fi, 5G network connectivity, and fiber broadband coverage. These results provide insightful information that will help stakeholders, politicians, and urban planners advance cities into the digital age and improve the quality of life for citizens.

Ultrahigh‐Speed Fixed Broadband and Rural Development

AbstractWe study the relationship between ultrahigh‐speed broadband coverage (≥100 Mbps) and population change in rural areas. Our goal is to determine whether improved telecommunications infrastructure can help to mitigate rural de‐population. The study focuses on Spain during the years 2013–20, a period when most of the country's broadband network was deployed. We use instrumental variable estimation to test for a causal link between ultrahigh‐speed broadband provision and rural population change. Although the data show a positive correlation between an increase in local ultrahigh‐speed broadband coverage and local population growth, after accounting for potential confounding factors and endogeneity, we find no evidence of a causal effect.

Exploring the heterogeneous link between broadband investment and coverage expansion using unconditional quantile regressions

One of the primary challenges of the telecommunications industry is to address the broadband connectivity divide. Policy makers, regulators, and network operators are in need to understand the amount of capital required to address this gap and generate solid evidence upon which policy options and regulatory remedies should be discussed. To date, most studies aimed at estimating the investment associated with broadband deployment have consisted in ad-hoc approaches based on cost modelling from average estimations, which lack rigor in terms of considering differences in technologies, topography, and population density. In this paper we propose a general approach, based on the use of Unconditional Quantile Regressions (UQR), that addresses the heterogeneities that arise from considering differentiated coverage targets and investment required across the different deployment phases. Our tool was found to successfully account for the increasing investment to fulfil coverage targets. Moreover, it can be applicable to a wide range of countries, as robustness checks conducted provided evidence of being suitable, to some extent, for countries with more geographic challenges (e.g., mountains, forests, etc.). On this basis, the estimated UQR coefficients were also used to simulate 4G, 5G and FTTH expansion for scenarios of accelerated deployments in Latin America, by trading off cost and target network quality requirements. We simulated some coverage goals above the current trends for 2030, targeting on average 98% of the population covered by 4G, 80% of the population covered by 5G, and two-thirds of households passed by FTTH. For the overall Latin America region, the extra capital needed above current investment trends accounts for $ 17,101 million over the period 2023–2029. Considering this challenge, potential regulatory remedies are considered.

LoRa-Based Low-Cost Nanosatellite for Emerging Communication Networks in Complex Scenarios

Wireless broadband coverage has reached 95% worldwide. However, its trend is expected to stay the same in the following years, presenting challenges for scenarios such as remote villages and their surrounding environments. Inaccessibility to these areas for installing terrestrial base stations is the main challenge to bridge the connectivity gap. In addition, there are emergencies, for instance, earthquakes or war areas, that require a fast communication reaction by developing networks that are less susceptible to disruption. Therefore, we propose a low-cost, green-based nanosatellite system to provide complete coverage in hard-to-reach areas using long-range communication. The system comprises a pilot station, a base station, and a CubeSat with sensor data collector capabilities acting as a repeater. Our system can be built within hours with a 3D printer using common material, providing a flexible environment where components can be replaced freely according to user requirements, such as sensors and communication protocols. The experiments are performed in Spain by two test sets validating the communication among all components, with RSSI values below −148 dBm and the longest distance above 14 km. We highlight the reduction in the environmental impact of this proposal using a balloon-based launch platform that contributes to sustainable development.

The digital divide and the growth of the hospitality industry: The case of Italian inner areas

AbstractWe investigate the role of internet access in spurring tourism supply, a strategic driver of economic development, especially in the most ‘peripheral’ areas, characterized by a lack of technological infrastructure and other barriers that limit internet access and business opportunities. In a difference‐in‐differences setting, we exploit the recent Italian strategy for ultra‐broadband policy—aimed at boosting the diffusion of ultra‐broadband in Italy since 2015—as an exogenous source of variation in internet access to estimate the effect on tourism supply. In doing so, we employ detailed data on broadband coverage and tourist accommodation at the municipality level from 2012 to 2019. Our results show that the ultra‐broadband availability increased the tourism supply in four‐star hotels and bed and breakfasts, suggesting that policy interventions aimed at reducing the digital divide between centers and peripheries can boost local economic development and help the process of de‐peripheralization of marginal areas.

Unleashing the potential of mobile broadband: Evidence from Indonesia's underdeveloped regions on its role in reducing income inequality

Although numerous studies have explored the relationship between information and communication technology (ICT) and socioeconomic development, limited research has focused on the impact of ICT infrastructure expansion on income distribution. This study aims to fill this research gap by investigating the effect of mobile broadband network coverage on income inequality in underdeveloped regions of Indonesia using unbalanced panel data encompassing 122 second-level subnational regions over the period from 2018 to 2021. This study utilizes map charts to visually depict the disparities in mobile broadband coverage and income inequality across the selected regions and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression on the pooled panel data to estimate the relationship between the two variables. The findings reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between mobile broadband coverage and income inequality, indicating an adverse effect on inequality during the early stages of network deployment that persists until coverage reaches approximately 60 percent of the population area. Beyond this threshold, the effect becomes favorable in reducing inequality. The findings of this study remain robust even after accounting for potential biases, utilizing fixed and random effect models, and disaggregating the data for the pre- and during-pandemic periods. However, a minor discrepancy in statistical significance is observed when the dataset is disaggregated by the level of regional development. The implications of these findings are discussed, providing theoretical insights and policy/practical implications for addressing income inequality.

Impact of VA's video telehealth tablets on substance use disorder care during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundTelehealth has the potential to improve health care access for patients but it has been underused and understudied for examining patients with substance use disorders (SUD). VA began distributing video-enabled tablets to veterans with access barriers in 2016 to facilitate participation in home-based telehealth and expanded this program in 2020 due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. ObjectiveExamine the impact of VA's video-enabled telehealth tablets on mental health services for patients diagnosed with SUD. MethodsThis study included VA patients who had ≥1 mental health visit in the calendar year 2019 and a documented diagnosis of SUD. Using difference-in-differences and event study designs, we compared outcomes for SUD-diagnosed patients who received a video-enabled tablet from VA between March 15th, 2020 and December 31st, 2021 and SUD-diagnosed patients who never received VA tablets, 10 months before and after tablet-issuance. Outcomes included monthly frequency of SUD psychotherapy visits, SUD specialty group therapy visits and SUD specialty individual outpatient visits. We examined changes in video visits and changes in visits across all modalities of care (video, phone, and in-person). Regression models adjusted for several covariates such as age, sex, rurality, race, ethnicity, physical and mental health chronic conditions, and broadband coverage in patients' residential zip-code. ResultsThe cohort included 21,684 SUD-diagnosed tablet-recipients and 267,873 SUD-diagnosed non-recipients. VA's video-enabled tablets were associated with increases in video visits for SUD psychotherapy (+3.5 visits/year), SUD group therapy (+2.1 visits/year) and SUD individual outpatient visits (+1 visit/year), translating to increases in visits across all modalities (in-person, phone and video): increase of 18 % for SUD psychotherapy (+1.9 visits/year), 10 % for SUD specialty group therapy (+0.5 visit/year), and 4 % for SUD specialty individual outpatient treatment (+0.5 visit/year). ConclusionsVA's distribution of video-enabled tablets during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with higher engagement with video-based services for SUD care among patients diagnosed with SUD, translating to modest increases in total visits across in-person, phone and video modalities. Distribution of video-enabled devices can offer patients critical continuity of SUD therapy, particularly in scenarios where they have heightened barriers to in-person care.

Economic growth and broadband access: The European urban-rural digital divide

This paper estimates the regional effects of high-speed broadband coverage on economic growth in a panel of 1348 regions across all European Union Member States between 2011 and 2018. We distinguish between different connectivity speed levels by aggregating the available regional data across all existing broadband technologies, and investigate how regional differences in the contribution of broadband coverage to real economic growth can quantitatively explain the persistence of the European urban-rural digital divide. In order to make our results robust to endogeneity and disaggregated data availability issues, we employ a bootstrap-based bias correction for the dynamic fixed effects estimator. We find that expansions in the provision of lower-speed broadband access accelerated annual per capita growth in both urban and rural regions through diminishing returns to scale, but that the effects were weaker in those regions characterized by larger ruralization. High-speed broadband coverage, on the contrary, could only be significantly related to rural economic growth and had no impact within their urban counterparts. We find evidence that the costs of these high-speed rural connectivity expansions had not yet been offset, but that they exhibit increasing returns to scale with cut-off levels nearing full coverage. These results indicate that the high-speed digital expansion of rural Europe is a potential gamechanger for further rural development policies through its role as a general-purpose infrastructure, and consequently argue in favour of increased efforts to close the urban-rural digital gap.

A radio-emitting outflow produced by the tidal disruption event AT2020vwl

ABSTRACT A tidal disruption event (TDE) occurs when a star is destroyed by a supermassive black hole. Broad-band radio spectral observations of TDEs trace the emission from any outflows or jets that are ejected from the vicinity of the supermassive black hole. However, radio detections of TDEs are rare, with &amp;lt;20 published to date, and only 11 with multi-epoch broad-band coverage. Here we present the radio detection of the TDE AT2020vwl and our subsequent radio monitoring campaign of the outflow that was produced, spanning 1.5 yr post-optical flare. We tracked the outflow evolution as it expanded between 1016 and 1017 cm from the supermassive black hole, deducing it was non-relativistic and launched quasi-simultaneously with the initial optical detection through modelling the evolving synchrotron spectra of the event. We deduce that the outflow is likely to have been launched by material ejected from stream-stream collisions (more likely), the unbound debris stream, or an accretion-induced wind or jet from the supermassive black hole (less likely). AT2020vwl joins a growing number of TDEs with well-characterized prompt radio emission, with future timely radio observations of TDEs required to fully understand the mechanism that produces this type of radio emission in TDEs.

Channel capacity limit of multi-beam satellite system

The requests of broadband coverage area and the expected user demand is satisfied by the satellite industry by using multiple spot beams of high throughput satellites with fixed multi-beam pattern and footprint planning. The technology core of high-throughput satellite is multi-beam technology, and the means to efficiently reuse spectrum is a full-frequency reuse scheme. In order to study the channel capacity limit of multi-beam satellite systems, the Wiener-Gaussian access model of terrestrial cellular systems is analyzed in this paper. This paper analyzes the Wiener-Gaussian access model of terrestrial cellular systems, then considers the difference between the spatial characteristics and gain characteristics of the multi-beam satellite system compared with the terrestrial cellular system, and proposes a Wiener model suitable for the multi-beam satellite communication system. On this basis, the channel capacity limit of multi-beam satellites under different fading conditions is deduced when using optimal linear precoding and minimum mean square error precoding. It provides theoretical support for the in-depth study of the channel capacity mechanism and system performance of multi-beam satellites.

The South Korean case of deploying rural broadband via fiber networks by implementing universal service obligation and public-private partnership based project

Despite broadband being essential infrastructure for conducting basic socio-economic activities and reducing inequality and the digital divide, expanding broadband coverage in rural areas remains a significant challenge in many countries due to high deployment costs. South Korea, a developed country in terms of fixed broadband penetration, implemented two policies for rural broadband via fiber access networks simultaneously during the COVID-19 pandemic. One is the universal broadband service at 100 Mbps speed introduced in 2020, and the other is the rural broadband project in terms of a public-private partnership (PPP) that proceeded from August 2020 to 2022. While both policies contribute to reducing the broadband gap between the urban and the rural in the country, it is still important to find the optimal cost-effective combination of the plural rural policies as much as possible from the cost perspective. Accordingly, this study proposes an investment cost estimation model for deploying rural broadband via fiber networks in South Korea and evaluates whether implementing two rural broadband policies in the country is cost-effective. The proposed model is designed according to the bottom-up approach, which involves building an efficient network with the latest technologies; thus, it gives a more accurate and reliable estimation of the investment cost of building rural broadband in the South Korean territory. The significant findings of this study are twofold. First, the PPP-based project could make the participating internet service providers (ISPs) deploy broadband at a cost-effective level, similar or lower to the universal service, and then recover the investment cost per building within a reasonable period. Thus, the result implies that governments need to consider the PPP-based project as an effective measure to deploy rural broadband, in addition to the introduction of universal service. Implementing multiple broadband policies to expand rural broadband coverage could be a reasonable and practical approach to improving broadband availability. Second, the governments still needs to make efforts to solve the complicated difficulties in rural areas in South Korea where rural-related broadband policies are still challenging to implement. This study confirmed that in some regions, the PPP-based project was still inferior to universal service in terms of average investment cost. In contrast, universal service had significant constraints to providing broadband because of the end-users cost burden, resulting in low broadband adoption. Therefore, the government needs to consider some measures to increase broadband availability and broadband adoption, such as widening the rural areas under the jurisdiction of participating ISPs, decreasing the proportion of participating ISPs bearing the investment cost of deploying broadband, and improving the cost burden of the end-users of universal service in some limited areas.