Statement of the situation or prob​​lem

In order to continue to contribute to achieving the objectives set by the Geneva Plan of Action of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in the era of digital transformation, and to promote attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined in September 2015, it is necessary to address the challenge of digital infrastructure development to make available the benefits of various e-services (e-education, e-health, e-government, e-agriculture, e-commerce, etc.) in the rural and remote areas of developing countries1 , including LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS, where more than half of the world's population live and people need broadband connectivity in general, including terrestrial and non-terrestrial high-speed and high-quality broadband network technologies that support the most common broadband applications required by citizens for digital equity and attainment of the SDGs.
The installation of cost-effective and sustainable digital infrastructure, through the deployment of emerging technologies such as next-generation high-speed mobile terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks and fixed-broadband wireline and wireless transmission systems suited for rural and remote areas, is an important aspect calling for further studies, and specific outcomes need to be available for the vendor community to make available broadband Internet connectivity to support up-to-date e-services for the quality of life of inhabitants in rural and remote areas.
Existing network systems are primarily designed for urban areas, where the necessary support infrastructure (adequate power, building/shelter, accessibility, skilled manpower to operate, etc.) for setting up a broadband telecommunication network is assumed to exist. Hence, current and future systems need to be more adequately adapted to specific rural requirements in order to be widely deployed.
In particular, terrestrial and non-terrestrial high-speed Internet and applications offer a new way to promote the balanced allocation of public resources. Internet has broken through time and space constraints, and delivered high-quality education, medical care and other public resources to residents in rural and remote areas, thereby promoting a more balanced allocation of public resources.
Shortage of power, difficult terrain, lack of skilled manpower, poor road access and transportation, and the difficulty of installing and maintaining networks are some of the known challenges that developing countries planning to extend ICT infrastructure to rural and isolated landlocked areas and remote islands must tackle.
More detailed studies addressing the challenges of deploying cost-effective and sustainable next-generation broadband ICT infrastructure in rural and remote areas are expected to be undertaken within the ITU-D study groups, taking into account the global perspective in the era of digital transformation and social innovation.
Therefore, the WSIS target "Connect villages with telecommunications/ICTs and establish community access points" should be promoted more intensively, taking into account the sharing economy, by employing emerging advanced digital broadband technologies for various e application services to stimulate social and economic activities for improving the quality of life of inhabitants in rural and remote areas. Multipurpose community telecentres (MCT), public call offices (PCO), community access centres (CAC) and e posts are still valid in terms of cost effectiveness for sharing of infrastructure and facilities by community residents, leading to the goal of provision of individual telecommunication access.
It is also important to consider broadband demand creation and affordability programmes for the adoption of broadband and e-services by people in rural and remote areas. They need affordable broadband and devices for access to the Internet. Government incentives, subsidies and other financing mechanisms are necessary. Work on the effective use of Universal Service Funds and best practices is also crucial.

Question o​​r issue for study

There are still many challenges to overcome for spreading terrestrial and/or non-terrestrial telecommunications/ICTs and meeting the potential for provisioning high-speed broadband in rural and remote areas. Throughout the studies conducted in the past study periods, it has been clear from the experience of many countries that technologies and strategies for rural and remote areas are various and diversified from country to country. Also, the social, economic and technological situation in rural and remote areas is rapidly moving forward to the new economy. Therefore, it is important to update the study of broadband digital connectivity for rural and remote areas and to adapt to social innovation for rural inhabitants of developing countries, including LDCs, LLDCs and SIDSs, in respect of the following items:


• ​Techniques and sustainable solutions that can impact on the provision of telecommunications/ICTs and availability of broadband digital infrastructure in rural and remote areas, with emphasis on those that employ up-to-date technologies designed to lower infrastructure capital and operating costs and support convergence between services and applications.
• Challenges in creating or building broadband digital infrastructure in rural and remote areas.
• Needs and policies, mechanisms and regulatory initiatives to reduce the digital divide between rural and urban areas by increasing broadband digital access.
• Quality of the services provided, and the cost effectiveness, degree of sustainability in different geographies and sustainability of the techniques and solutions.
• Business models for sustainable deployment of networks and services in rural and remote areas, taking into consideration priorities based on economic and social indicators (in possible collaboration with Question 4/1).
• Financing mechanisms, including Universal Service Funds (in possible collaboration with Question 4/1).
• Integration and implementation of ICT services in rural and remote areas, including new and emerging technologies.
• Increasing availability of telecommunications/ICTs that provide enhanced connectivity at progressively lower costs, with lower energy consumption and lower levels of GHG emissions.
• General approaches for:
  1) Integration of Internet applications (especially smart applications for e-learning, e-health, e-agriculture, e-commerce) for rural and remote areas into national strategies (in possible collaboration with Question 2/2).
  2) Promotion of Internet applications such as rural e-commerce, online education and telemedicine, and full release of the important role of information technology in rural economic and social development (in possible collaboration with Question 2/2).
  3) Encouragement of the development of new Internet applications and digital solutions for the socio-economic development of rural and remote areas, and promotion of innovation and digital transformation for rural and remote areas (in possible collaboration with Question 5/2).
• Opportunities for and challenges to access to services in locally relevant languages for indigenous people and for people with specific needs.
• Description of evolving system requirements for rural network systems specifically addressing the identified challenges of rural deployment.
• Analysis of case studies. During the study carried out on each of these items, the following matters should also be studied and reflected in the outputs of the Question:
  
• Maintenance and operational aspects to provide a quality and continuous service.
• Strategies on the integration of ICT in education in rural areas.
• Relevant localization of content for rural and remote people.
• Affordability of services/devices for rural users to adopt so as to fulfil their development needs.
• Strategies to promote small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and complementary access and village connectivity networks, in accordance with national regulations, to provide telecommunication/ICTs services in rural and remote areas for promoting innovation and achieving national economic growth, in order to reduce the digital divide between rural and urban areas.
  In addressing the above studies, the work under way in response to other ITU D Questions and close coordination with relevant activities under those Questions should be taken into consideration, in particular Questions 1/1, 3/1 and 4/1 and Questions 1/2, 2/2, 4/2 and 5/2, are highly relevant. Likewise, the studies shall take into account cases related to persons with specific needs, indigenous communities, isolated and poorly served areas, LDCs, SIDS and LLDCs, and highlight their specific needs and other particular situations which need to be considered in developing broadband digital facilities for these areas. ​
  

  Expected ​output​

  The output will be a report on the results of the work conducted for each item studied, together with a handbook, case study analysis reports, and one or more Recommendations and other relevant materials at appropriate times, either during the course of or at the conclusion of the cycle. Information shall be consolidated and disseminated to the membership to enable them to organize seminars and workshops for sharing best practices on the digital deployment of broadband infrastructure in rural and underserved areas.​