Broadband speed equity: A new digital divide?
Dean Riddlesden; Alex D. Singleton (2014). Applied Geography, 52, 25-33. DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2014.04.008
Abstract
The availability and performance of broadband connectivity is becoming an increasingly important issue across much of the developed world as the prevalence of richer media services and growing populations have generated increasing demands on existing networks. The heterogeneous geography of broadband infrastructure and investments results in variable service provision, and as such, there exist large disparities in access and performance within different spatio-temporal locations. This paper presents analysis of 4.7 million crowdsourced Internet speed test results that were compiled between 2010 and 2013 alongside various indicators of socio-spatial structure to map disparities in English broadband speed between and within urban areas. Although average speeds have improved over time, inequity is shown to emerge between different societal groups and locations. Short-term dynamics also reveal that in areas of different density, speeds can fall dramatically during peak hours, thus influencing the availability of services. The apparent disparities in access and performance represent a major issue as Internet use becomes increasingly ubiquitous in our everyday lives, with inequalities evoking social and economic disadvantage at local and national scales. This work resonates with UK government policy that has stimulated considerable investment in improving infrastructure, and presents analysis of an expansive crowd sourced “big data” resource for the first time.
Extended Summary
This research examines whether disparities in broadband internet speed across England constitute a new form of digital divide, analysing geographic and social patterns of connectivity inequality. The study utilised 4.7 million crowdsourced internet speed test results collected between 2010 and 2013 from Speedchecker Limited, combined with socio-spatial indicators including deprivation indices, urban-rural classifications, and geodemographic profiles. The research validated this volunteered geographic information through comparison with official regulator data, finding broadly similar nationwide average speeds despite some socio-spatial bias in the dataset. The analysis revealed significant geographic disparities in broadband performance across England. Urban areas, particularly major conurbations like London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Liverpool, demonstrated consistently higher average download speeds compared to rural regions such as the South West, Norfolk, Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire. Distance from telephone exchanges proved crucial, with properties closer to exchanges receiving faster speeds due to reduced signal attenuation over shorter copper lines. Temporal analysis uncovered important variations in performance throughout the day. Urban areas experienced greater speed fluctuations, with dramatic reductions during peak evening hours (6-9pm) due to network bottlenecking from high user demand. Conversely, rural areas showed more stable but consistently slower speeds throughout the day. The research found that 21.8% of speed tests in 2012-13 fell below the government’s Universal Service Commitment threshold of 2 Mbps. Surprisingly, areas with higher levels of material deprivation often recorded better broadband speeds, primarily because deprived areas tend to be located in densely populated urban centres with superior network infrastructure. However, this finding requires careful interpretation as it reflects aggregate area-level data rather than individual circumstances. Between 2010-11 and 2012-13, national average speeds improved from 4.8 Mbps to 8.4 Mbps, with the proportion below the 2 Mbps threshold declining from 30.9% to 21.8%. Geographic analysis showed that speed improvements were not uniformly distributed, with some rural districts like Copeland and Boston showing minimal increases whilst others benefited from targeted infrastructure investments. The research demonstrates that broadband speed inequalities represent a complex socio-spatial phenomenon that intersects with traditional patterns of urban-rural divide, population density, and infrastructure investment priorities. These disparities have significant implications for social and economic inclusion as internet services become increasingly essential for education, healthcare, employment, and civic participation. The findings support continued government investment in broadband infrastructure, particularly targeted programmes addressing rural connectivity gaps and ensuring more equitable access to high-speed internet services.
Key Findings
- Urban areas consistently achieved higher broadband speeds than rural regions, with major cities showing significant clustering of faster connections.
- Network performance varied dramatically throughout the day, with urban areas experiencing severe bottlenecking during peak evening hours whilst rural speeds remained more stable.
- Areas with higher material deprivation paradoxically recorded better speeds due to location in densely populated urban centres with superior infrastructure.
- National average speeds improved from 4.8 Mbps to 8.4 Mbps between 2010-2013, but geographic disparities in improvement rates persisted across districts.
- Distance from telephone exchanges proved crucial for connection quality, with properties closer to exchanges receiving significantly faster broadband speeds.
Citation
@article{riddlesden2014broadband,
author = {Dean Riddlesden; Alex D. Singleton},
title = {Broadband speed equity: A new digital divide?},
journal = {Applied Geography},
year = {2014},
volume = {52},
pages = {25-33},
doi = {10.1016/j.apgeog.2014.04.008}
}