Broadband applications: Categories, requirements, and future frameworks

Recent telecommunications policies, private sector development, and grant funding have focused on increasing broadband deployment to traditionally unserved and underserved areas, with an emphasis on adoption, meaning the utilization of the broadband infrastructure by end users. However, users are unlikely to adopt broadband until they realize the potential of broadband for their everyday lives. Therefore, it is critical to illustrate to potential commercial and residential subscribers the programs and applications that require broadband to function properly in order to encourage them to adopt high–speed broadband connections. This paper is intended to foster discussion among local officials and others of the ways in which broadband applications can support and encourage broadband adoption, thereby justifying deployment of ubiquitous broadband.