Fixed Wireless Broadband: a Policy Alternative?

Abstract

Digital divides persist in many forms. In the US, fixed wired broadband speeds as defined by the FCC (25/3 Mbps) are not widely available in rural and tribal areas. Additionally, the policy environment is not conducive for state intervention, as entrenched ISPs often campaign against municipal broadband projects. Few scholars have addressed the development of fixed wireless broadband (FWLB), and those like Middleton and Given (2011) cannot address how recent technological and policy developments have affected its rollout. This paper will address to what degree FWLB is a viable alternative to fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and the roadblocks providers and users face. This study will rely on survey data and interviews in the rural Midwest. FWLB is a tantalizing solution to policy roadblocks of providing wired broadband to populations outside of urban areas, but also faces its own set of barriers. The need to understand how to deal with the persistence of the digital divide in the US will help improve access for individuals and communities in less populated areas globally.