Roles of Wireless Networks in Bridging the Rural Smart Infrastructural Divide
Roles of Wireless Networks in Bridging the Rural Smart Infrastructural Divide
复制标题
DOI：
10.3390/infrastructures8110159
复制
发表时间：
2023-11
期刊：
影响因子：
2.6
通讯作者：
Xiaoqian Chen;Kang Chen;Minxiao Wang;Ruopu Li
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Xiaoqian Chen;Kang Chen;Minxiao Wang;Ruopu Li
在过去十年中，现代信息和通信技术（ict）在发展智能社会和社区方面的可用性有所增加。然而，以信息通信技术基础设施、软件获取和个人能力方面的不平等为特征的“智能鸿沟”仍然是农村社区面临的一个重大障碍。现有的有限实证研究探讨了可以开发什么以及如何开发ICT基础设施来弥合智能鸿沟。本文旨在解决美国智能鸿沟（即智能基础设施鸿沟）基础设施维度背景下的农村宽带接入问题，重点关注无线网络基础设施在缩小差距方面的作用。它审查了智能教育和远程保健等智能应用所需的宽带规范，强调了无线网络功能的重要性。虽然固定宽带提供更高的速度，但无线网络可以支持许多具有良好灵活性和易于访问的智能应用程序。为了进一步了解无线宽带对农村社区的影响，我们在伊利诺伊州南部的两个农村城镇Carbondale和Cairo进行了一个案例研究，使用现场用户启发的速度测试。开发了一个Android应用程序来测量下载/上传速度和参考信号接收功率（RSRP）的宽带质量。结果表明，卡本代尔和开罗的网速都低于平均水平，在人口普查区域之间的差异很大，这凸显了改进无线网络基础设施的必要性。论文最后提出了缩小智能基础设施差距的技术和政策建议。
The past decade has seen a rise in the availability of modern information and communication technologies (ICTs) for developing smart societies and communities. However, the smart divide, characterized by inequalities in ICT infrastructures, software access, and individual capabilities, remains a significant barrier for rural communities. Limited empirical studies exist that explore what and how ICT infrastructures can be developed to bridge the smart divide. The paper aimed to address rural broadband access in the context of infrastructural dimensions of smart divide (i.e., smart infrastructural divide) in the United States, focusing on the wireless network infrastructure’s role in narrowing the gap. It examined the broadband specifications needed for smart applications like smart education and telehealth, emphasizing the importance of wireless network capabilities. While fixed broadband offers higher speeds, wireless networks can support many smart applications with decent flexibility and ease of access. To further understand the implications of wireless broadband to rural communities, we conducted a case study in Carbondale and Cairo, two rural towns in Southern Illinois, using on-site user-inspired speed testing. An Android application was developed to measure download/upload speeds and Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) for broadband quality. Results suggest both Carbondale and Cairo experienced below-average speeds with high variability among census blocks, which highlights the need for improved wireless network infrastructure. The paper culminated in the technological and policy recommendations to narrow down the smart infrastructural divide.