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The GSMA is a global organisation unifyingthe mobile ecosystem to discover, developand deliver innovation foundational to positivebusiness environments and societal change. Ourvision is to unlock the full power of connectivityso that people, industry and society thrive.Representing mobile operators and organisationsacross the mobile ecosystem and adjacentindustries, the GSMA delivers for its members GSMA Intelligence is the definitive sourceof global mobile operator data, analysis andforecasts, and publisher of authoritativeindustry reports and research. Our data coversevery operator group, network and MVNO in GSMA Intelligence is relied on by leadingoperators, vendors, regulators, financialinstitutions and third-party industry players, tosupport strategic decision-making and long- We invite you to find out more at gsma.com Our team of analysts and experts produce regularthought-leading research reports across a range www.gsmaintelligence.com info@gsmaintelligence.com Contents Executive summary4 11 1.Rural connectivity in context 2.State of rural mobile2.1. The rural connectivity gap2.2. Rural network coverage and availability 3.Spectrum and rural connectivity3.1. Which bands power rural connectivity?3.2. Does rural connectivity benefit from more spectrum?3.3. Signal strength in rural areas and quality of experience 4.The future of rural connectivity 5.Spectrum policies for rural mobile5.1. Spectrum policies to boost rural mobile5.2. Low-band spectrum pricing5.3. Quality and investment commitments 6.Methodology6.1. Consumer survey analysis6.2. Geospatial data analysis Executive summary The rural connectivity gap:disparities in access and usage Rural communities are yet to realise the fullpotential of mobile connectivity. In low- andmiddle-income countries (LMICs), adults in ruralareas are 25% less likely to use mobile internetthan their urban counterparts. Even amongmobile internet users, rural populations record alower intensity of use; they are 30% less likely to Despite progress with rural coverage over thepast decade, these disparities represent missedopportunities for broader societal benefits,including economic growth, improved access to education Low-band spectrum is essential for rural networks: as much time connected to low bandsas urban users2× Lower spectrumcost boostsnetworkdeploymentA reduction of 4G5G increasesspeeds by up to8% increases5G coverage by6 percentage points The rural connectivity gap can be reduced by improvingaffordability and network quality in rural areas. Spectrum Governments can support rural development by lowering network rollout costs for operators Lowering the regulatory costs (including site access) Ensuring long-term regulatory certainty of access to spectrum Lowering the barriers to voluntary network sharing Low- and middle-income (selected countries) The rural connectivity gap stems from multiplebarriers. While literacy and affordability areprimary hurdles to initial adoption across urbanand rural areas, network quality is a criticalobstacle for greater engagement among existingusers. In LMICs, 18% of rural mobile internet GSMA Intelligence analysis shows thatappropriate spectrum policy choices can alleviate Spectrum use in rural areas: lowbands for coverage and capacity Spectrum plays a pivotal role in rural connectivity,with usage patterns different to urbanenvironments due to the need for wide-areacoverage over sparse populations. Rural usersspend significantly more time connected tosub-1 GHz (low-band) spectrum – over twice asmuch as urban users on 4G and 5G networks.In countries such as Australia and the UK, rural Additionally, low-band spectrum directlyenhances rural networks. Each 50 MHz ofsub-1 GHz spectrum is associated with a7 percentage-point (pp) increase in 4G coverageand an 11-pp increase in 5G coverage, with amore pronounced impact than higher bands. An additional 50 MHz of spectrum in bands below 1 GHz is linked to: Despite lower population density, rural networksface capacity constraints, particularly atcell edges where only low bands penetrateeffectively. This translates into user experience. above 50 Mbps, while those with less than 100MHz often fall below this threshold. Due to largerdistances, signal strength declines in rural areas, Voluntary sharing can reducecost of rural deployment Network sharing allows operators to useinfrastructure and spectrum in different ways toavoid duplication, pool resources and improvethe viability of rural deployments. The differentmodes of sharing spectrum include spectrumleasing, channel aggregation, national roaming The limits to efficient spectrum sharing andleasing are set by technological and commercialfactors, which impact how effectively spectrumcan be shared under different models. Forexample, imposed sharing between technologieshas limited rural applicability due to power Policy action required to bridgethe rural-urban gap Allow spectrum prices to followeconomi