Download A Research Design for Broadband Propagation

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?