Deploying and Sustaining Rural Telecommunication Infrastructure for

Rural Economic Development

(Draft)
Submitted
By
Malebogo Babutsi
(24379263)
To
Department of Computer Science
Faculty of Science and Agicultue
!ot" #est $ni%esity
Mafi&eng 'am(us
Sout" Afica
Master of Science
Supervisor: Prof. O. O. Ekabua
1
Problem Statement

The telecommunication industry has in the recent years experienced
phenomenal growth not only in terms of new technologies, but also
liberalisation to allow competition. Thus, the telecommunication industry
continues to evolve. However, the challenge remains; what broadband
network model is relevant to address rural areas economic development?
This question primarily assumes the position that, although many
technologies have been developed, rural areas set up difers from one to
another in terms of deployment variable factors.
lthough, there are many broadband network models that could provide
connections to rural areas, it is mostly the rural areas characteristics that
present connections challenges in terms of high connectivity costs. !or
example lack of skilled man power and life"long education programmes in
the rural areas, lack of technological gadgets market in the rural areas to
match rural population#s needs as well as the sparsely located population of
the rural areas $some short distance, while others are substantially distant
apart%.
Therefore the questions that arise are& is there a single broadband network
model that could transform economic status of the rural areas' How can the
rural broadband be sustained' (hat are the rural areas economic
development potentials'
Research Questions
lthough the problem statement could provide a direction for this study, it
is imperative without research questions to conclude any study. lso,
research questions provide a guide, thus, they are a standard research
procedure. Therefore, the following questions are intended for this study.
). How is rural broadband diferent from the urban broadband network'
)). How will rural broadband help rural economic development'
*
))). How to test and measure the rural broadband network model for
e+ciency$cost and sustainability%
Research Goal
,oals helps to stay focused to the target. ,etting lost to other issues is a
common mistake in pro-ect study due to similarities between issues being
studied and biasness due to personal interest. Therefore, besides the goal
being one of the standard variables of any study, it provides a central point
in reminding the study proponent the target of study.
Hence, the main goal of this research study is to establish an e+cient rural
telecommunication broadband network model for rural economic
development.
Research Objectives.
lthough there are other procedures to follow when conducting a study,
research ob-ectives provide a speci.c route on how to arrive or achieve the
study goal. They also provide insight on stage progress as the study grows
into a full /picture0, and they are as follow.
). 1evelop a telecommunication rural broadband network model.
)). 1evelop a matric to measure the performance of the rural broadband
network model.
))). )mplement the rural broadband network model.
Research Methodology
2esearch methods form an essential and integral part towards reaching any
conclusive position about phenomena#s being studied at any time. This is
due to the principle that for any scienti.c conclusion to be drawn, an
empirical process needs to underlay the study.
3
Thus, to determine deployment and ways to sustain a rural
telecommunication broadband network intends to review literature across
spectrum of network technologies, build or construct a model to observe
the behavior of the network, and also intends to develop a metric to
measure the model e+ciency. The research methods would also involve
implementing the model and evaluating it.
I. Literature Revie.
4urveyed literature needs to be reviewed to examine and asses facts. This
also looks into methods used to conclude other related studies. The other purpose
for reviewing literature is to interrogate concepts and trends on researched area.
This provides clarity as what has already been researched and not.
Therefore, it is intended to review closely related literature material. This
should provide future research with what has been and not researched. The
researched material would be acknowledged to provide easy reference for future
research.
II. Model !evelo"ment#$onstruction
lthough models are abstract relative to the actual phenomena being
studied, ) intend to construct a model for this study to observe the behavior of the
network. This part is the only available way to put to test my proposition.
III. Metric !evelo"ment
Testing and measurement may provide an important part in this study,
especially to test the model. Testing and measuring the e+ciency of the model
has bearing on the validity of the study. Thus, ) intend to develop a matric to test
and measure the model e+ciency.
I%. Model Im"lementation
5nce the model has been developed, ) intend to implement it. This part
simulates the study situation. ttention would at this stage placed on factors
common to rural areas being studied.
%. Model &valuation
6odel evaluation or model results analysis will conclude the simulation
process. This stage is important as the whole study exercise results are premised
on it.
7
Re'erences
819 :. ;ri<anovic, 1. =agar, and ;. ,rgic, >?conometric analysis of demographic and
socio"economic factors in@uencing broadband adoption in Aroatian rural counties,>
in Telecommunications (ConTEL), 2013 12th International Conference on, *B13, pp.
*C3"*CC.
8*9 T. D. 5yana, >?xploring geographic disparities in broadband access and use in rural
southern
)llinoisE (hoFs being left behind',> *B1B.
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