The potential for rural areas to benefit from telecommunications technology is a persistent question. This article examines data for the USA concerning the "digital divide" and access of residences and businesses, which tend to suggest that all is (or will soon be) well. The article also presents data on aspects of digital infrastructure in rural America, including points of presence and digital telephone switches, which suggest that there are major shortcomings in most rural communities. Demand aggregation is a possible solution, but more serious pitfalls are those related to shortages of human capital. These might be resolved in some rural places, where immigration and return migration bring needed cerebral inputs to rural areas. A final set of improvements concerns how businesses use the Internet and e-commerce. In the end, telecommunications is not a "quick fix" solution for rural development, and the desired improvements will be limited to a fraction of rural places.
Gumucio Dagron, Alfonso (author), Ilboudo, Jean-Pierre (author), and Del Castello, Riccardo (author)
Format:
Book chapter
Publication Date:
2003
Published:
International
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C36150
Notes:
ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/006/y4721e/y4721e00.pdf, Pages 45-61 in Bruce Girard (ed.), The one to watch: radio, new ICTs and interactivity, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. 243 pages. In collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Geneva Office and Communication for Development Group, Extension, Education and Communication Service, Research, Extension and Training Division, Sustainable Development Department. 243 pages.
Marshall, Stewart (author), Taylor, Wallace J. (author), Zhu, Grant X. (author), Dekkers, John (author), and Centre for Community Networking Research, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
Format:
Paper
Publication Date:
2003-09-15
Published:
Australia
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 178 Document Number: C35668
Notes:
Community Informatics Research Network (CIRN) Colloquium 2003, "Many Voices, Many Places," Prato, Italy, September 15-16, 2003. 16 pages.
