Why better Networks & Infra alone may not help bridging digital divide?

Two volunteers fixing a freedombox antenna

A recent pilot study conducted in a remote, hilly region with limited external communication highlighted the complexities of digital adoption and empowerment. While the initial roll out of a community network, providing internet access, saw promising early adoption, particularly for entertainment platforms like YouTube, the subsequent decline in usage exposed underlying challenges. It became evident that network and bandwidth constraints, …