It takes a long time to implement widely available interconnectivity the factor that will provide the demand-pull for further technology adoption. What good is it to be able to have advanced telecommunications equipment in your home if the people you want to communicate with do not have similar capability. Thus, developing and deploying advanced digital telecommunication networks is a difficult and costly proposition, even in dense urban and suburban areas. With widely available residential ISDN service not expected until late this decade, it is clear that even more advanced network upgrades will be delayed for both physical and financial reasons. The rapid development of an advanced communication infrastructure for rural America will depend on how easy it is for businesses to access the technology.
Businesses consider telecommunications capability an important factor in their location decisions.
To the extent that businesses will have advanced services available to them, rural areas may become more attractive locations. However, exactly what constitutes advanced telecommunication for businesses is an unsettled issue. Relatively large businesses in rural areas, whether in the service or manufacturing sector, often require broadband communications capability to maximize operating efficiency and compete with their urban and suburban counterparts. At such speeds, high quality data services and video telephony are possible. These speeds are much greater than the narrowband ISDN service which is gradually being deployed.