Bredbandsutbyggnad på svensk landsbygd. En studie av kommuner i Uppsala län

Abstract: The ongoing rural debate spans across a wide range of issues related to both macro and micro levels. Considering the new rural enquiry, the aim is to investigate how municipalities manage national broadband development goals. This is further related to the regional and municipal view of the general rural development regarding municipalities in Uppsala County, based on theories regarding the cumulative process. The methodology consists of a semi-structured interview and a discourse analysis based on related strategy documents regarding general planning and broadband development from the municipalities and the county's regional development strategies. The result shows that there is a divergence between clearly defined areas, both in rural development and broadband development. Divergence can be found in the relationships of dense housing vs. sparsely populated areas, and urban vs. rural areas, which relates to the theoretical concept of center and periphery. Through the analysis, an image emerges of the rural areas, characterized by problems and challenges, especially regarding the demographic distribution in counties and municipalities. The two particularly problematic factors consist of demography and geography which are largely associated to rural areas. In the end, the main responsibility for the broadband development lies with the market players and the individual.