Broadband and the Importance of the Last Mile in the Global Crisis of COVID 19 Cover Image

Широколентовият достъп и значението на последната миля в условията на глобалната криза от COVID 19
Broadband and the Importance of the Last Mile in the Global Crisis of COVID 19

Author(s): Alena Dobreva
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Communication studies, Theory of Communication
Published by: Институт за знание, наука и иновации ЕООД
Keywords: broadband access; last mile; sustainable connectivity; global crisis; infrastructure; digital division;

Summary/Abstract: The economic and social changes that have taken place as a result of the global crisis caused by COVID-19 have transformed the way people communicate, work and study. The new ways of communicating have increased the need for sustainable connectivity and have strengthened the importance of the “Last Mile” connectivity. The challenges that societies and governments have faced are a direct result of the lack of a well-developed infrastructure, the high cost of using certain services and the increase in the population’s digital literacy. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated to the largest extend how connectivity increases the teleworking, healthcare, educational, business and development opportunities, all while creating new forms of digital division amongst the society.