Community-led broadband in rural digital infrastructure development: Implications for resilience

Abstract

Community-led broadband initiatives represent a relatively recent shift in rural broadband provision. They are locally-led organisations that voluntarily spring up to respond to the lack, or perceived lack, of adequate broadband in their communities. Particularly present in rural spaces, few studies have investigated this mode of broadband delivery, which is gaining attention in the United Kingdom and internationally. This paper seeks to explore the implications of the participatory nature of such broadband initiatives, identifying a) whether pursuing a participatory community-led model for broadband deployment plays a role in enhancing rural social resilience, and b) specifically how leadership and informal digital champions are positioned and perceived throughout this process, and their relationship with rural social resilience. The conceptual framework of 'social resilience' acts as a contemporary analytical tool for understanding the impact of community-led broadband. Using findings from 56 semi-structured interviews across two phases from two community-led broadband organisations, Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN) in England and Broadband for Glencaple and Lowther (B4GAL) in Scotland, this paper contributes to both digital scholarship and the theoretical development of 'resilience' as a concept. Community-led broadband is shown to reflect a 'localism' development approach, and this process has strengthened local rural identity for individuals. The role of digital champions, as leaders in the community-led broadband movement, is key to developing the digital resource within rural communities. However, it can also be problematic, entrenching existing inequalities and feelings concerning exclusion, ultimately detracting from individuals' ability to participate. The process and the eventual presence of new technology have contributed to new spatial understandings of community identity, based on regional linkages, and new communities of interest. We conclude that communityled broadband, and in particular the leadership and participation processes, can contribute to social resilience overall, but ultimately is another example of uneven rural development.

Together we are strong? A systematic literature review on how SMEs use relation-based collaboration to operate in rural areas

“…On a more specific level, various papers in our sample put explicit emphasis on the 'digital divide' between rural and urban communities (Bowen and Morris 2019;Briglauer et al 2019;Philip et al 2017;Roberts et al 2017;Salemink, Strijker, and Bosworth 2017; R€ ais€ anen and Tuovinen 2020). Rural areas have less broadband connectivity, limited mobile coverage, and fewer options when choosing their ICT provider (Ashmore, Farrington, and Skerratt 2017). Consequently, the digital divide results in various forms of socio-economic exclusion (Philip et al 2017), often even more severely for vulnerable groups with lower education or higher age (Roberts et al 2017).…”

“…Finally, as rural areas often need 'customized' digital infrastructure solutions that national ICT companies frequently cannot deliver, solutions can also emerge at the community level (Salemink, Strijker, and Bosworth 2017). Against this background, Ashmore, Farrington, and Skerratt (2017) analyze various community-led broadband models where locally based solutions achieve superfast broadband. Here, rural SMEs can collaborate in tight-knit communities to actively address the digital divide.…”

Ensembles of Practice: Older Adults, Technology, and Loneliness & Social Isolation in Rural Settings

“…Philip et al [13] studied a urban-rural digital divide, where access to the internet, either through broadband or mobile networks is limited due to the lack of infrastructure in remote rural areas. Ashmore et al [14] explored community-led approaches to expand the reach of broadband in remote rural areas. Boase [15] identified demographic factors such as an older population and a lower level of education in rural areas when compared to urban ones, influenced the level of internet use.…”

Disaster Management in Smart Cities

“…These aspects are very much aligned with the emerging concept of resilience for cities, which is changing the paradigm of smart cities. Indeed, resilience sits in an intricate interplay among individuals, communities, institutions, and infrastructures [8]. We assume "resilience" in an urban perspective as a city's ability to succeed as a centre of human habitation, production, and cultural progress, despite the challenges posed by, e.g., climate change, population growth, and globalisation [9].…”