A RESEARCH DESIGN FOR BROADBAND

PROPAGATION

D. LINDA GARCIA

DIRECTOR

COMMUNICATION, CULTURE & TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

INTRODUCTION

What is CCT?Commitment to multidisciplinary researchBreadth and depth of students’ experience

and talentsInternational perspective

THE CCT/BPG COLLABORATION

Original collaboration with Georgetown University Information Services on Open Source Conference

Genesis of this projectOrganization of University Broadband

Research Project Seminar

YOUR MISSION/OUR ROLE

BPG aims for the ubiquitous propagation of affordable broadband forResearch institutionsEveryone 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 areasCommunication 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 DivideA Geographic DisadvantageMarket FailuresThin InstitutionsA 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?