Broadband adoption and availability: Impacts on rural employment during COVID-19

Catherine Isley; Sarah A. Low

doi:10.1016/j.telpol.2022.102310

Broadband adoption and availability: Impacts on rural employment during COVID-19

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Amidst COVID-19-related stay-at-home orders, the economy moved largely online and broadband internet became more important than ever. This paper explores the relationship between broadband and employment rates during April and May 2020 in rural U.S. counties. We use two broadband dimensions: infrastructure availability rates and household adoption rates. We use a two-stage least squares approach to address endogeneity and control for socioeconomic, demographic, and pandemic-related factors. Results show broadband availability and wired broadband adoption both had significant, positive impacts on the employment rate. Our findings suggest both broadband adoption and availability may be associated with economic benefits in rural America.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	102310
Journal	Telecommunications Policy
Volume	46
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2022.102310
State	Published - Aug 2022
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Broadband
Broadband adoption
Broadband availability
COVID-19 pandemic
Employment
Rural economic development

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Management Information Systems
Information Systems
Communication
Economics and Econometrics
Library and Information Sciences
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Online availability

10.1016/j.telpol.2022.102310

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title = "Broadband adoption and availability: Impacts on rural employment during COVID-19",

abstract = "Amidst COVID-19-related stay-at-home orders, the economy moved largely online and broadband internet became more important than ever. This paper explores the relationship between broadband and employment rates during April and May 2020 in rural U.S. counties. We use two broadband dimensions: infrastructure availability rates and household adoption rates. We use a two-stage least squares approach to address endogeneity and control for socioeconomic, demographic, and pandemic-related factors. Results show broadband availability and wired broadband adoption both had significant, positive impacts on the employment rate. Our findings suggest both broadband adoption and availability may be associated with economic benefits in rural America.",

keywords = "Broadband, Broadband adoption, Broadband availability, COVID-19 pandemic, Employment, Rural economic development",

author = "Catherine Isley and Low, {Sarah A.}",

note = "The authors wish to acknowledge support from the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station and University of Missouri Extension, with long-term support from USDA NIFA through the Enhancing Rural Economic Opportunities (NE1749) regional research committee. The authors also thank three anonymous referees for valuable comments, Dr. Alyssa Carlson, and participants at the 2021 Southern Regional Science Association virtual meetings for comments on an earlier draft. This work was supported by the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station and University of Missouri Extension.",

year = "2022",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1016/j.telpol.2022.102310",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "46",

journal = "Telecommunications Policy",

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T2 - Impacts on rural employment during COVID-19

AU - Isley, Catherine

AU - Low, Sarah A.

N1 - The authors wish to acknowledge support from the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station and University of Missouri Extension, with long-term support from USDA NIFA through the Enhancing Rural Economic Opportunities (NE1749) regional research committee. The authors also thank three anonymous referees for valuable comments, Dr. Alyssa Carlson, and participants at the 2021 Southern Regional Science Association virtual meetings for comments on an earlier draft. This work was supported by the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station and University of Missouri Extension.

PY - 2022/8

Y1 - 2022/8

N2 - Amidst COVID-19-related stay-at-home orders, the economy moved largely online and broadband internet became more important than ever. This paper explores the relationship between broadband and employment rates during April and May 2020 in rural U.S. counties. We use two broadband dimensions: infrastructure availability rates and household adoption rates. We use a two-stage least squares approach to address endogeneity and control for socioeconomic, demographic, and pandemic-related factors. Results show broadband availability and wired broadband adoption both had significant, positive impacts on the employment rate. Our findings suggest both broadband adoption and availability may be associated with economic benefits in rural America.

AB - Amidst COVID-19-related stay-at-home orders, the economy moved largely online and broadband internet became more important than ever. This paper explores the relationship between broadband and employment rates during April and May 2020 in rural U.S. counties. We use two broadband dimensions: infrastructure availability rates and household adoption rates. We use a two-stage least squares approach to address endogeneity and control for socioeconomic, demographic, and pandemic-related factors. Results show broadband availability and wired broadband adoption both had significant, positive impacts on the employment rate. Our findings suggest both broadband adoption and availability may be associated with economic benefits in rural America.

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KW - Broadband availability

KW - COVID-19 pandemic

KW - Employment

KW - Rural economic development

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Broadband adoption and availability: Impacts on rural employment during COVID-19

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Online availability

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