Asteo Observatory: Remote Work in Rural Areas

General

“Sowing a Digital Future” Session at the 17th Aotec Trade Fair

 

22% of Internet users in rural areas work remotely

 

As part of the session dedicated to entrepreneurs and future professionals in the sector, Laura Díaz Bettarel, Director of Communication and Marketing at Asteo, presented the latest data from the Observatory that the company launched in 2022 to investigate connectivity habits in areas with fewer than 10,000 and 1,000 residents that do have connectivity.

 

One of the main conclusions of the study “X-ray of the Internet User in Rural Areas” reveals that, on average, connected households have 5.5 devices, a significant figure indicating an intense adoption of technology in those rural households with Internet access. Among the most used devices are mobile phones, laptops, Smart TVs, tablets, and desktop PCs, reflecting usage patterns similar to more densely populated areas.

The data from the presented study highlights the growing importance of remote work in rural areas. 22% of the workers surveyed stated that they worked remotely. This percentage increases when considering only municipalities with fewer than 1,000 residents (26%). Of these, 36% work remotely daily and 14% four days a week. These data underscore the impact of Internet access on people’s ability to work from home, providing a new dimension to professional life in rural communities.

Another relevant aspect is the migratory flow towards these areas. According to the study, 63% of those surveyed have moved to rural municipalities in the last three years, with 40% of them coming from larger urban areas. This trend suggests an interest in living in rural environments, possibly motivated by the search for a higher quality of life and flexible job opportunities.

These data are especially significant given that, according to the survey, six out of ten people would not consider buying or renting a house in a rural municipality if it did not have Internet access. This highlights the importance of connectivity as a determining factor in housing decisions and emphasizes the need to continue expanding network infrastructure in rural areas.

In summary, the results of the Asteo Observatory highlight the fundamental role of connectivity in daily life, work, and attracting population to rural areas. These findings provide a solid foundation for future initiatives aimed at improving network infrastructure and promoting sustainable development in rural communities.

 

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Patricia Moreno Pacheco

Deployment Manager Director

Trained as an architect at the University of Seville and with international experience after her studies at the Leibniz Universität Hannover, she has a multidisciplinary technical profile. He stands out for his analytical capacity and leadership in telecommunications infrastructures, providing a highly consolidated strategic vision.

Her career began in civil architecture, working as a Municipal Architect and energy certifier. In 2017 she oriented her career towards the telco sector by joining Nokia as FTTx Network Design Engineer. For five years, he participated in large multinational deployments for operators in the USA, Italy, Chile, the Philippines and Germany. Later, at Inelcom, he took over team management and implementation support for the German UGG network, mastering the construction and last mile phases. All this international supervisory experience brought her to Asteo Red Neutra in 2023, where she manages field operations as Deployment Manager.

Away from blueprints and fiber optics, he is an active person who likes to enjoy his free time. He is passionate about climbing, paddle tennis and traveling, always looking for new environments to disconnect.

Laura Díaz

Marketing & Communications Director

With 20 years of experience, Laura has developed the communication strategy for national and international companies. Since the official launch of ASTEO Red Neutra, she has led its communication and content strategy as an external consultant, until her incorporation to the team.

She started her career as a journalist in the IT sector. She specialised in Communication, advising companies in various sectors (banking, asset management, private equity, insurance and insurtech or telecommunications). She led Evercom's Financial Communication department, in charge of the area's growth strategy and the management of the team and clients.

She graduated in journalism from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, in Venezuela, took the ABC-UCM master's degree in journalism, and complemented her education with studies in International Business at Dublin Business School, and sustainability at the University of Cambridge.

Married to Santi, she is the mother of two children and, whenever she has some free time, she loves going swimming and to the cinema or enjoying long dinners with friends.