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This essay is an introduction to the special issue of the Journal of Information Policy (JIP) on the workshop titled “Broadband Research in a Changing World” that met at the American University Washington College of Law, on September 10, 2017. It provides an overview of the multistage process that resulted in the September 10 workshop, introduces the two articles included in the special issue, and summarizes the views and opinions of workshop participants on the means of further stimulating and carrying forward a national dialog on broadband research. 

Expectations about higher economic growth and the ever-increasing demand for higher bandwidth are driving the worldwide deployment of Next-Generation Access (NGA) networks. The paths followed to achieve this goal markedly vary, however, across different countries. This article offers a comparison of a handful of leading NGA deployments that rely on different investment models. We study the broadband national initiatives of New Zealand and Australia and a group of selected regional NGA deployments in Europe. While New Zealand’s approach partially relies on a public–private partnership model of investment, Australia’s National Broadband Network is a wholly government-funded initiative and the European local initiatives in Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands, and Portugal use a range of mixed models of investment. We use a common technology–policy–market framework that allows for a clear mapping of the incentives, goals, and actions of those involved in network deployment. Our main interest is the identification of the drivers for investment as well as the description of main risk factors in each case. By applying this framework to those selected deployment cases our work draws relevant conclusions about the impact of investment decisions on performance criteria such as coverage and uptake. 

This paper addresses two policy questions. Firstly, how might evolving technologies associated with broadband networks enhance or hinder marginalized or underserved population groups’ effective use and access to information resources? Secondly, how can we foster public hybrid broadband, situating broadband networks within existing communities, as a means to promote digital self-determination? This study finds that wireless mesh technology initiatives can create and foster community engagement through infrastructure deployment, maintenance and use; combat myths regarding marginalized demographics and technology, and provide marginalized communities with an opportunity to become decision-makers regarding communications technology infrastructure development. 

This workshop report summarizes outcomes in three broadband domains: technologies, usage and effects. Within each domain critical themes are presented. The 40 page report concludes with recommendations for fostering interdisciplinary broadband research, developing a network of scholars and enhancing publicly accessible data to generate enhanced knowledge of the role of broadband for the U.S.