Broadband Plan Research Articles

Planning for Rural Broadband

Abstract High-speed broadband internet is a necessary utility. However, internet service providers are often unwilling to take on the costs of serving rural areas. Federal investments to expand rural broadband have gone underutilized due to insufficient community awareness and planning practices. We explore university–community broadband planning in two rural Florida counties to demonstrate where partnership and local efforts have enabled constructive discussions toward better connectivity. We highlight similarities and differences that inform how the university and residents leveraged community capital, and we explore the planning practices employed in each case. We conclude with recommendations for community-based partnerships for broadband planning in rural communities.

Application of Regression Analysis in Forecasting Mobile Broadband Subscriptions Growth for Malaysia

This paper forecasts the growth of Mobile Broadband Subscriptions in Malaysia using regression analysis, specifically focusing on linear regression to model trends. The analysis considers factors such as Mobile Broadband Traffic usage and Fixed Broadband Traffic, especially as the 5G network expands and Mobile Broadband becomes a potential alternative for enterprise and education sectors seeking faster broadband solutions. The study also examines Fixed Broadband Traffic in the context of Fixed Mobile Convergence, which impacts Mobile Broadband Subscription growth rates, necessitating the use of multiple linear regression analysis. This work provides a strategic growth plan for Mobile Broadband Subscriptions, highlighting the potential impact of growth trends. Exponential regression is also applied, offering readers a better understanding and the ability to choose results and analyses that best suit their business needs. Trendline reliability is assessed to measure how well the trendline fits the data, enhancing the accuracy of the regression model. For telecommunication companies, this analysis can help identify potential addressable markets and guide network expansion decisions, as well as inform the development of new mobile broadband plans. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) can use this information to introduce cost-effective mobile broadband devices, while enterprises can strategize their digital transformation efforts based on the findings. The forecast suggests that Mobile Broadband Subscriptions in Malaysia will reach 45.6 million by the second quarter of 2024.

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

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.

Towards an Australian Digital Communications Strategy

In the early 21st century, governments developed national broadband plans to supply high-speed broadband networks for the emerging digital economy and to enable digital services delivery. Most national broadband plans are now focused on moving to ever faster networks, but there is a growing need to develop national digital communications strategies to focus on the demand-side of the broadband “eco-system”. In this paper, we outline the approaches adopted by the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Korea to assist in the development (or renewal) of Australia’s national broadband strategy, or, as we prefer, national digital communications strategy. The paper draws on the lessons learned from the case-study countries and the recent pandemic and considers some theoretical aspects of the broadband ecosystem. We conclude by suggesting a process to re-evaluate Australia’s national digital communications strategy as it rolls forward, and to incorporate recent international trends to develop demand-side policies to enable greater adoption and use of existing broadband infrastructure and digital services.

SCIENTIFIC AND METHODOLOGICAL BASIS FOR THE USE OF ACTIVE READING METHODS IN TEACHING FICTION

Intercultural relations, innovative methods in the teaching process and the integration of the content of education in the context of modern globalization place a great burden on the methodology of teaching disciplines, determining the personal development potential of academic disciplines. Due to the fact that this article deals with the scientific and methodological basis for the use of active reading methods in teaching fiction, we will be based on the subjective interactions of the teacher and the student. In order to increase the reading abilities and increase the interest of students in reading works of fiction, the best works of Kazakh literature reflecting the breath of the era have been selected and included in the program of Kazakh literature. Here we offer two types of works necessary for studying. Firstly, works that have a textbook meaning. Secondly, the works that are listed in the extracurricular reading list. But at the request of the teacher, students are not only not limited to these artistic texts, but also encouraged to find new works that have upbringing and educational significance. Consequently, for the development of artistic taste and reading abilities of students, a subject teacher should direct, continuously direct extracurricular reading and during daily classes, consider methods and techniques for its implementation, and make a broadband plan. It provides for the gradual expansion, systematic development of reading a work of fiction by students, a gradual transition from simple to complex, systematization and further deepening of literary and cultural knowledge obtained by students under the program, the development of reading abilities. Therefore, the article pays attention to the methodological level of teaching fiction in literature lessons and comprehensively examines the problem of developing the reading abilities of students in the teaching process.

Push them forward: Challenges in intergovernmental organizations' influence on rural broadband infrastructure expansion

Many rural US communities lack access to adequate broadband services. This paper draws on semi-structured interviews conducted in 2019 with 16 Regional Planning Commissions to uncover dynamics of how these intergovernmental organizations contribute to the deployment of broadband infrastructure in rural Missouri. The proposed framework integrates the decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Theory of Reasoned Goal Pursuit, and Stakeholder Theory. Many participants reported a low level of involvement in broadband infrastructure initiatives even though supporting infrastructure development to promote economic growth is one of the Regional Planning Commissions' primary goals. Regional Planning Commissions are highly influenced by four primary stakeholder groups, (1) residents and businesses, (2) local governments, (3) internet service providers, and (4) state and federal government, which vary in terms of priorities and power. While defining the region's priorities with elected officials, Regional Planning Commissions often “push them forward” to recognize the necessity of broadband infrastructure. However, Regional Planning Commissions also struggle with low self-efficacy and inadequate expertise to support broadband planning efforts. The proposed framework could be generalized to understand actions and decisions by other intergovernmental organizations that have convening power and face similar power dynamics with their stakeholders.

The contingent nature of broadband as an engine for business startups in rural areas

AbstractThe introduction of the Internet in the 2000s was believed to be an effective solution for helping rural economies but previous studies found mixed results. Following the prevailing COVID‐19 pandemic, the idea has surfaced that broadband accessibility would result in an increasing number of people and firms relocating to smaller towns and rural areas. In this study, we provide new evidence on the impact of ultrafast broadband on rural economies by considering industrial and spatial heterogeneity. To achieve this, we evaluated the impact of the French Very High‐Speed Broadband Plan on business startups in rural municipalities between 2013 and 2018 using difference‐in‐differences with prematching. The evidence reveals that positive broadband effects are limited to municipalities with good initial conditions in terms of local economic climate, natural amenities, and demographics. From a policy perspective, our results suggest that broadband is not a panacea, and focusing on broadband access only is likely to have little impact in structurally weak rural areas.

Effects of Market Structure on Broadband Quality in Local U.S. Residential Service Markets

ABSTRACT Does entry and exit of competitors from broadband services markets have large effects on the quality of broadband plans offered to consumers? Answers to this question inform design of subsidies to improved broadband in underserved areas, and antitrust policy. The authors investigate quality effects of entry (or exit) in 2014 legacy (cable and digital subscriber line) duopoly residential markets. Entry or exit by legacy technology providers had large impacts on 2018 service quality, though impacts diminished rapidly with continued entry. Entry by a single fiber Internet service provider (ISP) had no impact on available quality; entry by more fiber ISPs had modest but statistically significant effects.

GLOBAL CONNECTIVTY REPORT 2022. CHAPTER 2. THE JOURNEY TO UNIVERSAL AND MEANINGFUL CONNECTIVITY

The Global Connectivity Report 2022 takes stock of the progress in digital connectivity over the past three decades. It provides a detailed assessment of the current state of connectivity and how close the world is to achieving universal and meaningful connectivity, using a unique analytical framework. It goes on to showcase solutions and good practices to accelerate progress. The second part of the report consists of seven thematic deep dives on infrastructure, affordability, financing, the pandemic, regulation, youth, and data. Chapter 2 relies on the framework for universal and meaningful connectivity and the associated targets for 2030, developed by ITU and the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, to analyse the current state of digital connectivity globally and progress towards reaching the targets by 2030. The framework considers usage by various stakeholders (universal dimension of connectivity) and the five enablers of connectivity (meaningful dimension of connectivity): infrastructure, device, affordability, skills, and safety and security. The assessment reveals that the world is still far from universal and meaningful connectivity. Infrastructure needs to be rolled out or improved to bridge the coverage gap. There are still significant differences between and within countries in network availability and quality. Fixed broadband is a costly investment and is not available or is unaffordable for many. Mobile broadband offers greater flexibility and is less expensive, and most rely on this technology to go online. But in many rural areas of developing countries, only 3G is available, when meaningful connectivity requires 4G. The coverage gap, currently at 5%, is dwarfed by the usage gap: 32% of people who are within range of a mobile broadband network and could therefore connect, remain offline. Data compiled by ITU make it possible to classify the offline population based on who they are and where they live. The main reasons cited by people for not using the Internet are the lack of affordability, of awareness about the Internet, of need, as well as the inability to use the Internet. Globally, connectivity became more expensive in 2021 due to the global economic downturn triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. After years of steady decline, the share of income spent on telecommunication and Internet services increased in 2021. The global median price of an entry-level broadband plan in the majority of countries amounts to more than 2% of the gross national income per capita, which is the affordability threshold set by the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development. People should not be forced to use the Internet. However, evidence suggests that introducing people to the Internet usually entices them to stay online. Based on activities people reported, use of the Internet leads to an improved social life, with the use of social networks, making Internet calls and streaming video the most common activities.

Determinants of FTTH tariffs evolution in EU: A panel data analysis

This study aims to reveal a set of important factors related to FTTH tariffs and potentially differentiate them among the different EU countries, when constructing a dataset of 28 EU countries between 2013 and 2018 with tariff data 30–100 Mbps (TR30) and 100+ Mbps (TR100). We find that there is a negative relationship between penetration and tariffs. As penetration increases, that causes a negative effect to tariffs overall that tend to drop. Additionally, competition is also a significant constraint, with the strongest effect in the TR100 case. The highly competitive countries, with less concentrated competition converge to lower tariffs during the study's time period. GDP per capita adds a positive effect to both TR30 and TR100 cases, where the developed EU countries' users tend to express overall a willingness to pay more for the same speed and service. Most importantly, these countries should achieve faster their goals, since the subscribers' willingness to pay for high-speed service combined with competitive markets at the right service offerings in place, will foster the 2020 national broadband plan regarding ultrafast connectivity. TR100 forecasts were generated between 2019 and 2025 for a specific set of countries, where values converge into constant levels since most markets approach a saturation level.

Explaining cost escalation on Ireland's national broadband plan: A path dependency perspective

Ireland's national broadband plan (NBP), announced in 2012, aimed to provide access to a minimum of 30 Mbps download speed to all households in the country ahead of the EU's Digital Agenda for Europe 2020 target for such speeds. The projected cost of the government subsidy was originally €175 million. However, when the contract for the procurement of the NBP was eventually signed in 2019 the estimated subsidy had risen to between €2.2 and €2.9 billion. Using a path dependency framework, this paper finds that the escalation in the cost of subsidy was driven by two main factors. First, the decision to roll out fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) technology was inconsistent with the geographic/legacy path dependencies related to Ireland's low-density rural population. Second, the gap-funding/PPP procurement model adopted for the intervention failed to attract competitive bids and was at odds with the competitive path dependency and the dominant role of the incumbent operator.

Telecom's Road to 2030: “What If We Were to Do Nothing?”

Telecom’s Road to 2030: “What if We Were to Do Nothing?” By 2030, current U.S. broadband policy may be unable to fulfill its mission of providing all Americans with equal access to the capabilities of advanced digital products and services, while geopolitical competitors forge ahead. This paper compares the information technology strategies of the U.S., the EU and China, and proposes a distinctively American leadership vision, building from the FCC’s 2010 National Broadband Plan (NBP). According to Blair Levin, NBP Exc. Dir., “We started with the question of what if we were to do nothing; what would be the biggest problem in a decade?” Revisiting that question in 2021 reveals very different problems and calls for a new paradigm for solutions. Digital networks are growing at near-exponential rates, along with networked technologies, platforms and applications which are increasingly critical for full societal participation. According to the NBP, “Broadband networks only create value to consumers and businesses when they are used in conjunction with broadband capable devices to deliver useful applications and content.” By 2030, for U.S. citizens to be fully engaged and productive members of society, broadband access alone will not be enough. Multi-Gb connectivity will be near ubiquitous, with mobile and fixed technologies functionally equivalent. The goal of universal broadband access will shift from connecting geographies and devices to connecting individuals (PANs, wearables, implantables), enabling use of an array of networked services and applications. Leading geopolitical competitors are aggressively pursuing new information technology opportunities. The EU hopes to become a global rule-maker for consumer digital protection. It is calling the current decade, “Europe’s Digital Decade”, embracing “digital citizenship”. In addition to the 2018 GDPR, the Digital Services and Digital Markets Acts, and rules for Commercial Data and AI are pending. China, in its 13th and now 14th Five Year Plans, is focused on international market leadership in critical new technologies (e.g., “Made in China 2025”), integrating strategies for AI, quantum information, Cyberspace, Big Data centers, and 5G, while domestically emphasizing rural development, social stability and regime perpetuation, merging Informatization with Cybersecurity. The paper compares the current goals, laws and structures of each related to emerging digital technologies. It asks if the U.S. is disadvantaged relative to its main competitors and offers a holistic policy alternative. It argues it is time to reforge U.S. broadband policy so policy and technology can develop in tandem. This will require an evolved policy framework that is flexible and responsive, with an integrative view of the digital ecosystem, focused on outcomes, not technologies, with full digital inclusion as the basic condition of the social contract. What if we were to do nothing? Domestically, broadband policy and regulation would become progressively dysfunctional. Globally, the U.S. would fall behind in technology markets and leadership in international fora as a respected source of norm making based on digital inclusion for all. It is time to go beyond “access” and take a vision of universal digital inclusion to the next level. This paper proposes such a path.

Building on What Works: An Analysis of U.S. Broadband Policy

Issued ten years ago, the FCC’s National Broadband Plan was in many respects a case study in regulatory humility. It recognized that broadband progress was “[f]ueled primarily by private sector investment and innovation”; that “government cannot predict the future”; that “the role of government is and should remain limited”; and that policymakers should thus focus not on imposing price controls or behavioral restrictions, but on “encourag[ing] more private innovation and investment.” This advice, which the FCC has generally followed, has fared well under the test of time. Ten years and hundreds of billions of investment dollars later, the broadband marketplace now offers consumers more choices and exponentially faster speeds than it did then. Against that backdrop, this paper analyzes the asserted need for, and likely consequences of, four types of broadband regulation proposals in recent circulation: (1) facilities-sharing obligations; (2) retail price controls; (3) internet interconnection obligations; and (4) amorphous and open-ended ISP conduct rules like those the FCC imposed in 2015. For the most part, we see little merit to any of these proposals under current market conditions. None of them is needed to address any identifiable market failure, and each would impose significant costs, including the investment-chilling prospect of regulatory creep. That said, government retains a critical role to play in the broadband marketplace. Market forces are unmatched in their power to bring the greatest benefit to the greatest number. But market forces by themselves will not help America close two stubborn and unacceptable digital divides: between rich and poor, and between urban and rural. These are real, universally acknowledged problems that call for real solutions. In particular, they call for expanded subsidy mechanisms—one directed to low-income subscribers and the other to broadband providers that commit to new infrastructure deployment in rural and other high-cost areas. But the challenge of closing these digital divides does not even logically support a call for more intrusive regulation of the broadband industry. To the contrary, such regulation would, if anything, make the underlying problems worse by placing a thumb on the scale against additional broadband investment.

Bridging the Digital Divide: What Has Not Worked But What Just Might

America has spent billions trying to close the Digital Divide, but adoption disparities along many dimensions persist. The COVID pandemic has rekindled the strong interest in broadband adoption, with many in Congress now proposing to spend billions more to shrink the adoption gap. In this POLICY PAPER, we first offer an economic analysis of how best to spend broadband subsidies. As might be expected, the analysis prescribes that money should be spent where it is most effective (per dollar) at increasing adoption. Second, we offer an empirical analysis of past broadband adoption programs by quantifying the effect of several programs established by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009. Applying a Difference-in-Differences model to Census data on adoption, we find no positive effect on home broadband adoption from programs funded by the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (“BTOP”). Third, we discuss the potential benefits of direct subscriber subsidies considering the successful private sector programs offering low-cost broadband plans to low-income and other qualifying households. Direct subsidies to end-users will increase adoption, but surveys and empirical evidence prescribe sober expectations on their effectiveness at achieving universal adoption. Subsidizing broadband infrastructure deployment in unserved areas is a direct approach to increase broadband adoption, but even so the costs in some regions may outweigh the benefits.

Digital agendas, regional policy and institutional quality: assessing the Italian broadband plan

ABSTRACT Broadband policy has been booming with the support of European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs). However, its performance and impact remain contentious, since primary evidence is lacking. The paper studies the first Italian plan for financing broadband-deprived areas through the ESIFs, characterized by multilevel governance. It is found that its overly centralized design suffered from serious policy faults, which hampered regional efforts. Funding mismatches and other institutional obstacles disadvantaged the northern and central regions; however, because the latter enjoyed higher institutional quality, they managed to leapfrog the (more supported) southern ones. The digital agendas’ performance is shaped by the institutional quality–multilevel governance mix.

The Internet after COVID-19: Will we Mind the Gaps?

While the Internet infrastructure is holding up remarkably well during the COVID-19 crisis, our global stress test is also revealing key gaps in how industries and individuals have or have not adopted digital solutions for both regular and emergency use. We propose an initiative, a cross between the National Broadband Plan and the 9/11 Commission, that will quickly analyze digital readiness as revealed during the crisis, and provide recommendations to policymakers and industry. The goal of these recommendations will be both to respond to and, where possible, avoid future crises.

Are mobile and fixed broadband substitutes or complements? New empirical evidence from Italy and implications for the digital divide policies

The literature on broadband policies has been focusing on the possible role of mobile broadband as a means for addressing geographical digital divide in areas with no or inadequate fixed broadband infrastructure coverage. Broadband plans designed by most of the industrialized countries take the substitutability between fixed and mobile technologies for granted, with restrictions essentially relating only to bandwidth performance. We explore the determinants of individuals' private access (away from work) to the Internet with the smartphone through a mobile broadband connection, focusing on the role played by Internet uses and taking into account the availability of a fixed broadband connection at home. The results of our econometric exercise, carried out on microdata referred to Italian individuals, provide original and interesting evidence: a complementarity effect between mobile and fixed broadband is found for browsing, video streaming, gaming and cloud services; a substitution effect emerges for social networking and music streaming. Such increasing complexity of individuals’ broadband usage patterns should be acknowledged in the way broadband coverage is mapped and policies designed, adopting a more ecosystem-oriented approach which integrates supply- and demand-side features. A first step in this direction is the inclusion of some, so far neglected, key-attributes of the demand (data traffic allowance, latency, ease of interconnection with Internet capable devices) among the relevant dimensions of policy design.

Technological literacy and interrupted internet access

ABSTRACT As everyday practices are increasingly digitalised, many countries are prioritising broadband rollout. However, infrastructure provision under national policies has not been uniform. In comparison to urban populations, rural communities often have inferior broadband infrastructure and services and there are disparities in digital opportunities between rural and urban areas. A case study of twenty rural Australian internet users reveals that rural communities suffer from limited access, inconsistent and unreliable services, and rural broadband plans’ data restrictions and high prices, which we conceptualise as ‘interrupted access’. Rural internet experiences are subsequently shaped by the availability, speed, stability and affordability of connections. As a response, a form of ‘technological literacy’ is emerging through which rural consumers undertake technical and social manoeuvrings to self-address challenges from interrupted access and increase their opportunities for digital inclusion. Participants developed innovative local solutions, such as self-installed auxiliary hardware and mobile towers, which they used to improve mobile broadband coverage. Those unable to build such solutions displayed new types of knowledge encompassing broader contexts of connectivity (infrastructure, devices and plans) and re-structured rural life to accommodate internet use that is shaped by interrupted access. Growing community-level capacity and interest in broadband development suggests national policies could better reduce rural-urban inequities by supporting and empowering localised solutions. Without addressing the interrupted nature of rural connectivity to improve service quality and affordability, disparities in the digital opportunities available to rural and urban consumers will persist.

Does national broadband plan narrow regional digital divide? Evidence from China

Although an increasing number of countries are striving to implement broadband plans, there is a dearth of research that examines whether having a national broad plan could narrow a nation’s regional digital divide. In this study, we used data sets collected from recent national statistics to quantify the effects of China’s national broadband strategy on the regional digital divide. The results of our analysis showed that while China’s approach narrowed the regional divide in terms of the coverage of broadband infrastructure, it had a comparatively limited impact on closing both the penetration divide and the quality divide. To narrow these divisions further, it is recommended that China adjust the priorities and scope of its national broadband strategy from a supply-side, investment-driven industrial policy to a demand-side, user-centric policy.

Data deluge or data trickle? Difficulties in acquiring public data for telecommunications policy analysis

There is a paucity of granular, high-resolution broadband data in the United States, which limits the prospects of informed telecommunications policy debates. In the absence of regulation requiring telecommunication providers to accurately report service footprints, pricing, and service quality data, providers refuse to disclose this information, routinely citing competition as the primary reason for keeping network and pricing data obfuscated. In addition, many secondary datasets needed for broadband planning and policy research, such as parcel or address point data, are equally challenging to gather. These datasets are often controlled by county governments, with no overarching access policy, resulting in neighboring counties with widely divergent policies for the release of these important data. In this article we explore the challenges of open data and its impacts on telecommunication policy development. A recent project which explored the spatial provision of Google Fiber in the Kansas City metropolitan area helps to highlight these difficulties. Basic strategies for mitigating information asymmetries and the lack of data transparency for telecommunication policy analysis are discussed.