Gaps in value-driven connectivity: A case study on connectivity challenges in Northern Europe

Well-working Internet connectivity is a fundamental citizen right and a necessity in modern digital societies. Nevertheless, the digital divide persists and often affects rural or remote areas. To bridge the digital divide, we need to understand the specific rural use cases and challenges. This would increase understanding about problems weak Internet connectivity causes, what is required from the connectivity technology and what is needed from policymakers and regulation. The goal of this paper is to identify rural use cases and analyze consequences to future connectivity technology through a mixed-methods approach: we investigated the divide and its consequences by a questionnaire and interviews conducted in northern Europe. The study found that the main issues faced by rural internet users are related to capacity, availability, and vulnerability of internet services. These issues hinder their daily life, work activities, and expose them to system-level risks. The article discusses how these findings can inform the development of more inclusive and resilient internet connectivity solutions.