A RESEARCH DESIGN FOR BROADBAND PROPAGATION D. LINDA GARCIA DIRECTOR COMMUNICATION, CULTURE & TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

INTRODUCTION What is CCT? Commitment to multidisciplinary research Breadth and depth of students’ experience and talents International perspective

THE CCT/BPG COLLABORATION Original collaboration with Georgetown University Information Services on Open Source Conference Genesis of this project Organization of University Broadband Research Project Seminar

YOUR MISSION/OUR ROLE BPG aims for the ubiquitous propagation of affordable broadband for Research institutions Everyone else CCT aims to serve as the social science think tank to explore the role and importance (or not) of broadband in universities and research institutions

QUESTIONS THAT COME TO MIND Is this a deployment problem requiring investment and funding? Is this a diffusion problem requiring greater demand and usage? Is this a market problem requiring policy solutions? Is this a society problem requiring social innovations?

RURAL ANALOGY Regional Rural Portals: A Technology Based Solutions to the Urban-Rural Divide Paradigm shift in looking at the use of IT networks for development in rural areas Communication conceived as a means to an end, not a commodity. The community, not the individual, is the user. Network design is a critical factor.

Designing for the Situation at Hand--The Urban-Rural Divide A Geographic Disadvantage Market Failures Thin Institutions A Technology Gap

A Technology Based Solution: The Regional Rural Portal Today’s flexible architecture permits customized designs. A virtual industrial district built on a regional scale Designed to strengthen both vertical and horizontal ties Create a ‘learning region’ by generating institutional thickness.

APPLYING THE ANALOGY TO BPG AGENDA What is the role of the university, and its needs with respect to broadband? Are universities being equally served, and if not at what cost. What are the opportunities for social innovations, linking like users with congruent needs. What entrepreneurial roles might universities play What are the market/policy barriers to innovation.

BUILDING A RESEARCH DESIGN Scope of the problem Where are the gaps in geography? Where are the gaps caused by affordability? What are the opportunity costs of the gaps? Where broadband is available and affordable for research institutions, what are the optimized uses of it? Case studies What is the public interest in filling the gaps? Are broadband needs of universities qualitatively different from other users’ needs? What kinds of creative solutions might be applied?