IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/loceco/v28y2013i6p580-595.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Enhanced broadband access as a solution to the social and economic problems of the rural digital divide

Author

Listed:
  • Leanne Townsend
  • Arjuna Sathiaseelan
  • Gorry Fairhurst
  • Claire Wallace

Abstract

This article discusses the danger of a growing digital divide between rural and other areas. It presents broadband as increasingly necessary for the delivery of information, health, education, business, social security, public and leisure services. Access to broadband has become vital for rural communities to participate in a progressively digital economy and to overcome problems of physical and social isolation. Yet rural areas are among those most excluded from fast broadband developments. Although this is partly due to technological/economic barriers in reaching more remote locations, even where technology is available, adoption can still be low in rural areas. This article explores the problems of providing broadband in rural Britain, considers various technological approaches and concludes with key development areas for policy and government.

Suggested Citation

  • Leanne Townsend & Arjuna Sathiaseelan & Gorry Fairhurst & Claire Wallace, 2013. "Enhanced broadband access as a solution to the social and economic problems of the rural digital divide," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 28(6), pages 580-595, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:loceco:v:28:y:2013:i:6:p:580-595
    DOI: 10.1177/0269094213496974
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0269094213496974
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0269094213496974?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hauge Janice A & Prieger James E., 2010. "Demand-Side Programs to Stimulate Adoption of Broadband: What Works?," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 9(3), pages 1-38, August.
    2. Alan Winters, L. & Martins, Pedro M. G., 2004. "When comparative advantage is not enough: business costs in small remote economies," World Trade Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 3(3), pages 347-383, November.
    3. Premkumar, G. & Roberts, Margaret, 1999. "Adoption of new information technologies in rural small businesses," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 467-484, August.
    4. Eskelinen, Heikki & Frank, Lauri & Hirvonen, Timo, 2008. "Does strategy matter? A comparison of broadband rollout policies in Finland and Sweden," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 412-421, July.
    5. Hart, L.G. & Larson, E.H. & Lishner, D.M., 2005. "Rural definitions for health policy and research," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(7), pages 1149-1155.
    6. Velaga, Nagendra R. & Beecroft, Mark & Nelson, John D. & Corsar, David & Edwards, Peter, 2012. "Transport poverty meets the digital divide: accessibility and connectivity in rural communities," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 102-112.
    7. Chris Phelan & Richard Sharpley, 2012. "Exploring entrepreneurial skills and competencies in farm tourism," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 27(2), pages 103-118, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ovando, Catalina & Olivera, Emmanuel, 2018. "Was household internet adoption driven by the reform? Evaluation of the 2013 telecommunication reform in Mexico," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(9), pages 700-714.
    2. Navío-Marco, Julio & Pérez-Leal, Raquel & Ruiz-Gómez, Luis Manuel, 2019. "Analysis of the WiFi4EU initiative as a potential instrument to correct digital divide in rural areas in the EU," 30th European Regional ITS Conference, Helsinki 2019 205200, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    3. Ulman, Miloš & Ualiyev, N. S. & Toregozhina, M. B., 2016. "Do Digital Public Services Matter? A Comparative Study of the Czech Republic and the Republic of Kazakhstan," AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Economics and Management, vol. 8(2), pages 1-13, June.
    4. Salemink, Koen & Strijker, Dirk, 2018. "The participation society and its inability to correct the failure of market players to deliver adequate service levels in rural areas," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(9), pages 757-765.
    5. Kenichiro Onitsuka, 2019. "How Social Media Can Foster Social Innovation in Disadvantaged Rural Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-24, May.
    6. Lelie, T. & Sadowski, B. & Brennenreadts, R. & Smits, J., 2017. "Government involvement and learning in business model experimentation: NGA deployment in rural areas in the Netherlands," 28th European Regional ITS Conference, Passau 2017 169479, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    7. Jaume Benseny & Juuso Toyli & Heikki Hammainen & Andr'es Arcia-Moret, 2019. "The mitigating role of regulation on the concentric patterns of broadband diffusion. The case of Finland," Papers 1905.03002, arXiv.org, revised Oct 2020.
    8. Gerli, Paolo & Wainwright, David & Whalley, Jason, 2017. "Infrastructure investment on the margins of the market: The role of niche infrastructure providers in the UK," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(9), pages 743-756.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kolodinsky, Jane M. & Battista, Geoffrey & Roche, Erin & Lee, Brian H.Y. & Johnson, Rachel K., 2017. "Estimating the effect of mobility and food choice on obesity in a rural, northern environment," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 30-39.
    2. Kolodinsky, Jane M. & DeSisto, Thomas Patrick & Propen, David & Putnam, Matthew E. & Roche, Erin & Sawyer, William R., 2013. "It is not how far you go, it is whether you can get there: modeling the effects of mobility on quality of life in rural New England," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 113-122.
    3. Venugopal Gopalakrishna-Remani & Robert Paul Jones & Kerri M. Camp, 2019. "Levels of EMR Adoption in U.S. Hospitals: An Empirical Examination of Absorptive Capacity, Institutional Pressures, Top Management Beliefs, and Participation," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 21(6), pages 1325-1344, December.
    4. Caoile, Roella Grace U & Ceria, Eleonor Joy C. & Jacinto, Christine Joy S. & Salome, Angel Veronica R. & Covita, Mayvelyn S., 2024. "Farming for the Future: Assessing Sustainable Practices among Farm Tourism Sites in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(9), pages 3665-3702, September.
    5. Olsen, Jonathan R. & Thornton, Lukar & Tregonning, Grant & Mitchell, Richard, 2022. "Nationwide equity assessment of the 20-min neighbourhood in the scottish context: A socio-spatial proximity analysis of residential locations," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 315(C).
    6. Luis Mayor & Line F. Lindner & Christoph F. Knöbl & Ana Ramalho & Remigio Berruto & Francesca Sanna & Daniele Rossi & Camilla Tomao & Billy Goodburn & Concha Avila & Marg Leijdens & Katharina Stollewe, 2022. "Skill Needs for Sustainable Agri-Food and Forestry Sectors (I): Assessment through European and National Focus Groups," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-24, August.
    7. Patrick Guillaumont, 2009. "An Economic Vulnerability Index: Its Design and Use for International Development Policy," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(3), pages 193-228.
    8. Akca Yasar & Gokhan Ozer, 2016. "Determination the Factors that Affect the Use of Enterprise Resource Planning Information System through Technology Acceptance Model," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(10), pages 1-91, September.
    9. Awaworyi Churchill, Sefa & Koomson, Isaac & Munyanyi, Musharavati Ephraim, 2023. "Transport poverty and obesity: The mediating roles of social capital and physical activity," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 155-166.
    10. Mounce, Richard & Beecroft, Mark & Nelson, John D., 2020. "On the role of frameworks and smart mobility in addressing the rural mobility problem," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    11. Rudra P. Pradhan & Mak B. Arvin & Sahar Bahmani & Sara E. Bennett, 2017. "Broadband penetration, financial development, and economic growth nexus: evidence from the Arab League countries," Macroeconomics and Finance in Emerging Market Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(2), pages 151-171, May.
    12. Schiff, Maurice, 2021. "Low, High and Super Congestion of a Renewable Natural Resource under Autarky and Trade," IZA Discussion Papers 14279, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Angelucci, Federica & Conforti, Piero, 2010. "Risk management and finance along value chains of Small Island Developing States. Evidence from the Caribbean and the Pacific," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(6), pages 565-575, December.
    14. Srivastava, Deepak Kumar & Kumar, Vikas & Ekren, Banu Yetkin & Upadhyay, Arvind & Tyagi, Mrinal & Kumari, Archana, 2022. "Adopting Industry 4.0 by leveraging organisational factors," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    15. Galperin, Hernan & Arcidiacono, Malena, 2021. "Employment and the gender digital divide in Latin America: A decomposition analysis," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(7).
    16. Patrick Guillaumont, 2010. "Assessing the Economic Vulnerability of Small Island Developing States and the Least Developed Countries," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(5), pages 828-854.
    17. Liu, Chun, 2017. "An evaluation of China's evolving broadband policy: An ecosystem’s perspective," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 1-11.
    18. Venter, Christoffel J. & Molomo, Malesela & Mashiri, Mac, 2014. "Supply and pricing strategies of informal rural transport providers," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 239-248.
    19. Alfonso Infante-Moro & Juan C. Infante-Moro & Julia Gallardo-Pérez & Francisco J. Martínez-López, 2022. "Key Factors in the Implementation of E-Proctoring in the Spanish University System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-16, July.
    20. Mulley, Corinne & Nelson, John D. & Ho, Chinh & Hensher, David A., 2023. "MaaS in a regional and rural setting: Recent experience," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 75-85.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:loceco:v:28:y:2013:i:6:p:580-595. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/index.shtml .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.