Approaches for Expanding Internet Connectivity

Lead instructor: Marvin Sirbu, Professor at Carnegie Mellon University

This course focuses on digital divide issues in regions that lack Internet infrastructure, where the goal is to extend Internet connectivity to these often overlooked urban, rural, or remote areas. There are significant technical, economic, and regulatory issues associated with deploying Internet infrastructure to high-cost areas, and this course addresses this complex mix with the basic concepts that engaged regulators, policymakers, and government decision-makers need to know. It provides a concise primer of the different network technologies in use to provide residential broadband Internet access services using fiber, fixed and mobile wireless, hybrid fiber-coax, or satellite networks. The course then covers the economics of broadband networking by comparing the costs of different technical options to better understand the circumstances that favor their deployment.  Based upon this engineering economic foundation of knowledge, the course then discusses key regulatory issues that can block or promote the deployments of broadband networks to tackle the digital divide. Policy topics covered include approaches to fund broadband universal service, the role of municipal networks, open access networks and the importance of supporting spectrum management policies.

• This course is intended for people with all levels of technical expertise involved in expansion of Internet infrastructure, whether their involvement is from government, industry, or non-governmental organizations.  
• Upon completing the course, participants will have greater understanding of a variety of technical, economic, and regulatory approaches to expanding Internet access, along with the pros and cons of each.
• No prior technical or policy knowledge is required.  Every participant will bring their own unique expertise and experience to the discussion.