Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2012
Abstract
Universal high-speed Internet access can productively transform a nation’s economy. However, many municipalities in the U.S. have been left behind in terms of Internet penetration. Some municipal governments have tried to address this by launching initiatives that aim at offering citywide, universal broadband access. Unfortunately, most of these initiatives have either been discontinued or have ended in failure. Drawing on actor-network theory, we conducted a three-year study to investigate the evolution of the Internet TV initiative in LaGrange, Georgia, U.S. The results reveal distinct interpretations of the initiative by different actor groups (the government, the service providers, socioeconomically advantaged residents, and socioeconomically disadvantaged residents), at different stages of implementation, pointing to tensions among the various groups. These tensions reflect the structural problems embedded in the macro political, economic, and societal context. The findings offer insights for policymakers who intend to achieve universal broadband access.
Recommended Citation
Hsieh, J.J. Po-An; Keil, Mark; Holmström, Jonny; and Yarger, Lynette Kvasny, "The Bumpy Road to Universal Access: An Actor-Network Analysis of a US Municipal Broadband Internet Initiative" (2012). Computer Information Systems Faculty Publications. 21.
https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/cis_facpub/21
Comments
Author Accepted Manuscript version of an article published in:
J.J. Po-An Hsieh, Mark Keil, Jonny Holmstrom, and Lynette Kvasny, “The Bumpy Road to Universal Access: An Actor-Network Analysis of a US Municipal Broadband Internet Initiative,” The Information Society, 2012, 28(4), pp. 264-283. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01972243.2012.689271.