“Broadband is available, but the overall quality of that experience is highly variable,” says Drexel Research Vice Provost

While interviewing Drexel University Vice Provost Deb Crawford last month, she highlighted research that particularly interested us, in our future of broadband coverage.

A timely example that might be of interest to your readers is research that is being done by Tony Grubesic, from Drexel’s i-school, and his colleagues. Tony’s team has combined the use of GIS and mathematical programming to develop a spatial optimization model for improving both market coverage and quality of service (QOS) for digital subscriber line (DSL) infrastructure provision. Their work explores how supply-side factors can influence the quality of service for broadband subscribers. While issues concerning the digital divide are typically discussed in the context of urban v. rural – there are more subtle divides present in most urban areas. Broadband is available, but the overall quality of that experience is highly variable – a function of pricing, location, etc… This research is timely as Philly expands broadband access and opportunities available to its citizens through projects like Freedom Rings undertaken by the Urban Affairs Coalition and its partners, including Drexel, with funding from the Recovery Act’s Broadband Technology Opportunities program.

Download the full paper here [PDF].