Abstract

In the context of community-led local development, this research aims to understand the blend of top down and bottom up influences that combine in campaigns for improved rural broadband provision. The representativeness of the membership of rural community broadband initiatives and the motivations and dominant arguments behind their campaigns are analysed from the perspective of neo-endogenous development, which concerns endogenous actors linking to exogenous networks and resources to raise “the potential of local areas to shape their own futures” (Ray, 2001, p4).

A sample of community-led broadband initiatives in the UK and Netherlands are studied as a precursor to two in-depth case studies in the province of Groningen and the county of Lincolnshire. The identification of key success factors enables an assessment of the scope for different rural regions to overcome the digital divide. The role of actors from within the community, the level of financial and other material resources available to them, their organisational and communication skills, network relations and the area specific/place-based nature of the arguments will all be analysed to test the theory of neo-endogenous rural development. Findings can be used to advise other community broadband initiatives and to advise policymakers how best to assess the degree (if any) and type of support that can boost community-led initiatives.