[AISWorld] [AJIS] New Section Published: Research on Rural & Remote ICT: Broadband Rural, Regional and National Impacts

[John Lamp]

Hi,

The Australasian Journal of Information Systems has just published its latest section.

Research on Rural & Remote ICT: Broadband Rural, Regional and National Impacts

Special Section on Rural and Remote ICT: Broadband Rural, Regional and National Impacts
Michael Steven Lane, Catherine Middleton, Ruediger Zarnekow, Khorshed Alam DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v20i0.1474

Abstract
Editorial for the Special Issue on Rural and Remote ICT: Broadband Rural, Regional and National Impacts
Keywords: Broadband Infrastructure; Digital Divide; Rural; Regional; National; Broadband Policy; Socio-Economic Equity

The Supply and Use of Broadband in Rural Australia: An Explanatory Case Study of the Western Downs Region
Michael Steven Lane, Sanjib Tiwari, Khorshed Alam DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v20i0.1202

Abstract
This research seeks to provide an understanding of broadband infrastructure supply and its relationship with household broadband use and satisfaction in rural Australia through an explanatory case study of the Western Downs Region (WDR). The Broadband Ecosystem provided a comprehensive framework for examining broadband infrastructure supply and household use and satisfaction with broadband services. Publicly available data was used to map the coverage of broadband access technologies in WDR. A large scale survey assessed household use and satisfaction with broadband services available in WDR. Our findings indicate that rural regions such as WDR are highly reliant on wireless broadband which is more variable in reliability and less affordable comparative to wired broadband. Our findings also indicate that household dissatisfaction with wireless broadband services is particularly evident in remote and outer regional areas. This suggests that the lack of reliable and affordable wireless broadband services with adequate data quotas are a real barrier to rural communities such as the WDR actively participating in a digital future. This study provided a number of important contributions. The broadband ecosystem provided a comprehensive framework for understanding the complex problem of broadband access in rural Australia by analysing two units of analysis, broadband infrastructure (supply) and broadband use and satisfaction (demand). Broadband infrastructure is an important and under-researched area in information systems. Future government policy needs to ensure that access to reliable and high speed broadband services is part of its universal service obligation so that the current shortcomings in broadband infrastructure in rural Australia will be prioritised and addressed. We believe this will require a commitment from future Governments to facilitate both public and private investment in broadband infrastructure in rural Australia.
Keywords: Broadband infrastructure; broadband services; rural Australia; technology use and satisfaction

Improving rural broadband deployment with synergistic effects between multiple fixed infrastructures
Felix Limbach, Hannes Kuebel, Rüdiger Zarnekow DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v20i0.1191

Abstract
The utilization of deployment synergies across infrastructure networks of different industries has been identified as a key to improve the broadband business case. Thus, an increasing number of broadband plans require owners of physical infrastructures such as the electricity, pipeline, highway and railroad networks to host broadband infrastructure. However, cross-industry cooperation brings about new complexity to optimal utilization of deployment synergies. This paper explores cost savings that can be achieved if national non-telecommunication infrastructures are considered as source for broadband networks in rural areas. Moreover, it assesses economic, political and regulatory measures required for improving synergy utilization. The presented approach is based on a techno-economic broadband deployment model, which is applied to all rural communities in Germany. Results indicate that synergy optimized network topologies can generally decrease rural broadband deployment cost. However, it is required that local authorities recognize the definition of broadband tender areas as a chance for the aggregation of demand. Moreover, national regulators need to ensure that metro-aggregation, backbone and co-location costs, which are associated with non-telecommunication infrastructures, do not exceed the costs of the incumbent by more than 50%.
Keywords: broadband; rural; synergy evaluation; regulation; policy

The Importance of Broadband for Socio-Economic Development: A Perspective from Rural Australia
Julie Freeman, Sora Park, Catherine Middleton, Matthew Allen DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v20i0.1192

Abstract
Advanced connectivity offers rural communities prospects for socio-economic development. Despite Australia's national broadband infrastructure plans, inferior availability and quality of rural Internet connections remain persistent issues. This article examines the impact of limited connectivity on rural socio-economic opportunities, drawing from the views of twelve citizens from the Boorowa local government area in New South Wales. The available fixed wireless and satellite connections in Boorowa are slow and unreliable, and remote regions in the municipality are still without any Internet access. Participants identified four key areas in their everyday lives that are impacted by insufficient connectivity: business development, education, emergency communication, and health. Rural citizens often already face challenges in these areas, and infrastructure advancements in urban spaces can exacerbate rural-urban disparities. Participants' comments demonstrated apprehension that failure to improve connectivity would result in adverse long-term consequences for the municipality. This article suggests that current broadband policy frameworks require strategic adaptations to account for the socio-economic and geographic contexts of rural communities. In order to narrow Australia's rural-urban digital divide, infrastructure developments should be prioritised in the most underserved regions.
Keywords: Rural connectivity; National Broadband Network; socio-economic development; policy; digital divide; digital inclusion

The social surplus of broadband initiatives in compulsory education
David Peter Parsons DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v20i0.1188

Abstract
In 2010, the New Zealand government embarked upon an ambitious programme of broadband infrastructure investment, a process that will continue until at least 2019. Part of this investment is specifically targeted at compulsory education, with initiatives that include bringing fibre connections to the school gate, supporting on-site network upgrades (including wireless) and providing teaching, learning and support services delivered through these networks. Such investments are not made without some projections of the likely rate of return, but calculating return on investment (ROI) in educational broadband is complex, as it encompasses a range of factors. This article reports on an interview-based study engaging a range of stakeholders in educational broadband provision. The study utilises a research model that considers the various elements of social surplus, namely; producer surplus (savings), producer surplus (profit) and consumer surplus (perceived value over and above cost), to explore the elements of social surplus that have been used to define educational broadband ROI calculations and justify the scale of investment. The results indicate that all three components of social surplus are relevant, though the concept of profit can only be seen in the broader context of long term contributions to the economy. A note of caution is that projections of ROI based only on positive returns fail to acknowledge the potential for some innovations to actually increase costs. Further, purely quantitative models do not properly take into account qualitative components of consumer surplus.
Keywords: broadband; education; return on investment (ROI); social surplus

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Call for Papers

AJIS publishes high quality contributions to the global Information Systems (IS) discipline with an emphasis on theory and practice on the Australasian context.

Topics cover core IS theory development and application (the nature of data, information and knowledge; formal representations of the world, the interaction of people, organisations and information technologies; the analysis, design and deployment of information systems; the impacts of information systems on individuals, organisations and society), IS domains (e-business, e-government, e-learning, e-law, etc) and IS research approaches.

Research and conceptual development based in a very wide range of epistemological methods are welcomed.

All manuscripts undergo double blind reviewing by at least 2 well qualified reviewers. Their task is to provide constructive, fair, and timely advice to authors and editor.

AJIS welcomes research and conceptual development of the IS discipline based
in a very wide range of epistemologies. Different types of research paper need to be judged by different criteria. Here are some assessment criteria that may be applied:

*       Relevance - topic or focus is part of the IS discipline.
*       Effectiveness - paper makes a significant contribution to the IS body of knowledge.
*       Impact - paper will be used for further research and/or practice.
*       Uniqueness - paper is innovative, original & unique.
*       Conceptual soundness - theory, model or framework made explicit.
*       Argument - design of the research or investigation is sound; methods appropriate.
*       Clarity - Topic is clearly stated; illustrations, charts & examples support content.
*       Reliability - data available; replication possible.
*       References - sound, used appropriately, and sufficient - appropriate AJIS articles referenced
*       Style - appropriate language, manuscript flows.

This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

AJIS has been published since 1993 and appears in the Index of Information Systems Journals, is ranked "A" by both the Australian Council of Professors and Heads of Information Systems and the Australian Business Deans' Council.

In addition to web distribution, AJIS is distributed by EBSCO, it is listed in Cabell's International Directory and is indexed by EBSCO, Elsevier, Scopus and the Directory of Open Access Journals.


Thanks for the continuing interest in our work,

Cheers
John
@JohnWLamp
ORCID: 0000-0003-1891-0400
ResearcherID: A-3227-2008
ISNI: 0000 0003 5074 9223
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Editor-in-Chief, Australasian Journal of Information Systems  http://journal.acs.org.au/index.php/ajis/

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Dr John Lamp
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