Enhancing Connectivity and Communication in Underserved Rural and Remote Areas - An EDAS-Based Invest

[1]. The increasing dependence of contemporary society on uninterrupted connectivity and communication emphasizes the importance of tackling the digital disparity present in rural and remote areas with limited access. The research carries immense importance in the field of telecommunications and the drive for digital equity. In a time when connectivity plays a pivotal role in advancing economies, societies, and education, the stark digital divide between urban centers and underserved rural zones holds significant and far-reaching consequences. Given that remote and rural locales frequently grapple with infrastructural constraints, the adoption of virtualized networks presents an opportunity to transcend conventional limitations and extend the advantages of digital access to these communities. Through leveraging the capabilities of the EDAS methodology, this research endeavors to uncover inventive approaches to enhance connectivity and communication. Alternate and Evaluation Parameters taken as This research embarks on an exhaustive examination of a variety of connectivity options, encompassing Traditional Cellular Network Expansion, Satellite Internet, Community Mesh Networks, NFV-based Rural Edge Servers, and Hybrid Fiber-Wireless Networks. The overarching objective is to effectively respond to the pressing requirement for improved connectivity. Employing the EDAS technique, this study endeavors to evaluate these distinct strategies using a comprehensive set of evaluation metrics. These metrics include measures such as Connectivity (%), Data Speed (Mbps), Latency (ms), Initial Cost ($), and Operational Cost ($).The Aggregated Score index (ASi) ranks the connectivity expansion alternatives as follows: Community Mesh Networks lead with an ASi of 0.7645, securing the top rank (1). Following closely are NFV-based Rural Edge Servers with an ASi of 0.6498 and the second rank, Hybrid Fiber-Wireless Networks with an ASi of 0.4207 and the third rank, Satellite Internet with an ASi of 0.2963 and the fourth rank, and Traditional Cellular Network Expansion with an ASi of 0.2671, holding the fifth rank. The ranking reflects the overall performance of each alternative based on aggregated scores.