The coronavirus forced us into lockdown, which highlighted the digital divide among the Spanish population, especially those living in rural areas. Not everyone was able to enjoy the same infrastructure during this period, and the guarantee of digital connectivity in rural areas has been uneven and deficient in many localities.
of the DBA thesis by José Antonio López , CEO of Iyntia, entitled “ The impact of the Digital Agenda in rural Spain .” The aim of the thesis was to determine whether this agenda has really served to progress in the digital spectrum.
With this objective in mind, López has analysed the eff slovenia number data ect of the measures approved by Europe and deployed between 2014 and 2020 in Spanish towns with fewer than 2,000 inhabitants. In this regard, he discovered that connectivity at a speed of 30Mbps is insufficient to cover the basic needs of users.
For their part , populations with 100 Mbps connectivity manage to increase their average income by 1.4% compared to those who do not enjoy it. In addition, Social Security affiliations reach 3.1% and the unemployment rate has dropped to 0.7%. "To have achieved the objectives of social digital transformation and avoid the digital divide, it would have been necessary to reach 100 Mbps for all citizens," says the author.
On the other hand, the general technological progress of the population following the pandemic has accentuated the digital divide. People who have only been able to enjoy connection speeds of 30 Mbps have suffered a very significant digital divide. The Spanish Government recognises, in fact, that there are between 800,000 and 1,400,000 inhabitants with limited connectivity of this type.
Spain exceeds the European average, but there is still room for improvement
The CEO of lyntia recognises in his research that Spain is superior to the European average . It has also significantly climbed positions since the start of the approval of the Agenda. What's more, in terms of connectivity, it occupies one of the most prominent positions with a score of 60.8 compared to the average of 50.1 in the European Union.
In addition, there is more fibre in rural Spain than in urban Europe . This means that Ávila or Cuenca are ahead of London or Milan. However, "we still have the challenge of reaching the entire country with high-speed connectivity," according to the expert.
Finally, the professional points out that, without the help of public funds, it would be impossible for private companies to make the necessary investment.