Rural Connectivity in the Face of the Demographic Challenge

General

Presentation of the III Report of the Asteo Observatory: “Rural Connectivity in the Face of the Demographic Challenge”

 

Pedro Abad (ASTEO): “Next-generation connectivity is essential to address depopulation and promote entrepreneurship in rural areas”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • The CEO of Asteo Red Neutra presented the report in the Senate, accompanied by the spokespersons of the majority groups of the Depopulation and Demographic Challenge Committee of the Upper House, José Manuel Hernando (GPP) and María Eugenia Limón (GPS), as well as the president of AOTEC, Antonio García Vidal, and the head of the Click-a project of the Spanish Red Cross, Javier López
  • 77% of respondents in towns with fewer than 500 inhabitants consider that their municipality is at risk of depopulation
  • Seven out of ten internet users in rural areas state that digital entrepreneurship is a key factor in revitalizing their communities
  • The lack of employment opportunities is the main reason for the depopulation of small municipalities according to 92% of internet users, above transport infrastructure or healthcare services
  • High-speed internet connectivity is a priority when choosing to live in rural areas for 64% of residents
  • Rural households are less active in the use of emerging technologies such as AI. Only 31% of internet users in small municipalities take advantage of these tools

Encouraging job creation and revitalizing the local economy through the digitalization of rural areas is essential to combat depopulation. This was one of the main conclusions highlighted in the presentation of the Study ” Rural Connectivity in the Face of the Demographic Challenge,” prepared by the Asteo Observatory, which took place in the Senate.

The report, developed in collaboration with the consulting firm Random Strategy, indicates that seven out of ten internet users in small towns consider that digital entrepreneurship is an important alternative for people living in these areas and a key tool to revitalize them and retain population.

This opinion increases to 78% when we talk about users in the smallest towns, with fewer than 500 inhabitants, and in the case of women (74%), young people between 18 and 34 years old (77%), and remote workers (88%). Furthermore, for 64% of respondents, high-speed internet connection is a fundamental factor when choosing a town to reside in or purchase a home.

The study was presented by Pedro Abad, CEO of Asteo Red Neutra, who was accompanied by the spokespersons of the majority groups of the Depopulation and Demographic Challenge Committee of the Upper House, José Manuel Hernando (GPP) and María Eugenia Limón (GPS), as well as the president of AOTEC, Antonio García Vidal, the head of the Click-a project of the Spanish Red Cross, Javier López, and the journalist and professor of new technologies at Nebrija University, Pilar Bernat, who also resides part-time in a small municipality.

The Asteo Observatory aims to provide an updated view on the use of new technologies in towns with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants with internet access, which represent 91% of municipalities in Spain, and for which statistical data on this matter is scarce; segmented into three groups: fewer than 500 inhabitants, fewer than 1,000, and fewer than 10,000.

Initiatives to Promote Employment

35% of internet users in rural areas perceive a risk of depopulation in the areas where they reside, according to the report. A figure that doubles in the case of municipalities with fewer than 500 inhabitants, where this perception reaches 77%.

The lack of employment opportunities is identified as the main reason favoring this depopulation for nine out of ten (92%) users, who recognize that high-speed internet connection is essential in all aspects, but especially in the employment development of these communities.

“Initiatives that promote employment and the growth of new figures such as digital nomads can attract people seeking quality of life in rural environments or young people who want to start businesses,” stated Pedro Abad during the presentation of the report. For the CEO of Asteo Red Neutra, ” the way to attract talent, employment, and development is through the digitalization of these areas and by reducing the digital divide.”

Employment is also a key element for the spokespersons of the majority groups of the Upper House in the Demographic Challenge Committee.

During the meeting, Senator José Manuel Hernando highlighted the importance of tools such as the rural guarantee mechanism, which he considers essential to address the specific challenges posed by the demographic challenge in Spain. Hernando also explained that the depopulation process in rural areas is a universal and permanent social phenomenon, in the face of which the responsibility of public authorities is to implement mechanisms that prevent it from evolving toward a future marked by the abandonment of the territory or the neglect of its inhabitants. In this regard, ” it is essential to create and maintain channels for constant dialogue between the city and the countryside, so that digitalization involves the incorporation of useful mechanisms for the different work sectors in the rural world, but without limiting the human quality of the services provided and without altering the essence of rural life,” explained Hernando.

According to the data collected by the Observatory, in towns with fewer than 500 inhabitants, the percentage of self-employed workers (13%) is higher than in the rest of the rural areas surveyed (6.6%). This figure is even above the national average (7%). In this regard, it is important to note that the survey was conducted only among internet users residing in rural areas.

Pedro Abad highlighted the relevance of public-private collaboration and the importance of training in digital skills to retain population in these areas. “It is important to work with municipalities and local and community authorities to help promote the adoption and use of new technologies by their residents. This is a fundamental tool to help combat depopulation. Ensuring that the inhabitants of these rural areas can access public services or government services under the same conditions as residents in large cities .”

According to the third report “Rural Connectivity in the Face of the Demographic Challenge,” 88% state that their level of technological use is medium or advanced as an internet user. Furthermore, the vast majority of them (70%) consider more digital training necessary, although self-assessment in internet use is high.

Training as a Strategy, Especially with Vulnerable Groups

Identifying the real needs of small municipalities and providing training in digital skills, primarily to the most vulnerable groups, is also a fundamental element for the Spanish Red Cross. The organization has launched the 1213 program to curb depopulation in municipalities with fewer than 100 inhabitants, and the Click-a initiative to reduce the digital divide.

The head of Click-a in Andalusia, Javier López, who participated in the presentation, emphasized that “the different digital divides can be a determining or enhancing factor of social exclusion, especially for those people who are already at greater risk of digital vulnerability. It is not enough to simply provide access to an appropriate digital device or a stable and fast internet connection, but it is also necessary for people to have sufficient and appropriate knowledge, skills, and attitudes to cover and respond to their specific needs and individual interests .”

For López, “working on training and support to improve the digital competencies of people in situations of social vulnerability contributes to making them freer and more autonomous, favoring the development of a society and a digital transformation that is more just, inclusive, and leaves no one behind.”

Profile of Connected Households: Less Active in AI Use and Decline in Remote Work

The Asteo Observatory also provides a complete profile of users in these areas with internet connection. The study indicates that 72% of these users are couples, with and without children, with an average of 2 to 4 residents in each household.

66% of respondents work, and most of them are employed (59%). Of these, 15% report working remotely daily, a figure that has decreased significantly compared to 2023, which stood at 22%.

Users also have a medium and advanced digital profile, in the vast majority; however, only 31% acknowledge having used generative AI in the last year, a figure below the national average, considering a study published this year by the company Amadeus, which indicates that 58% of Spaniards have already tried some generative AI tool.

Among emerging technologies, ChatGPT is the most used tool by users in these rural areas. Young people between 18 and 34 years old (58%) are the most active in this regard.

Of households with a connection, the vast majority, 75%, have fiber optic. Mobile phones, laptops, and Smart TVs are the most used devices in these communities. Likewise, residents consult social networks (27%), watch television (21%), or visit news websites (15%) when they want to obtain information about their municipality.

“Internet + mobile” is the most contracted package from operators, followed by the one that includes a landline. Generally, users in these areas contract with a single provider.

During the meeting, Senator María Eugenia Limón Bayo highlighted that “in the 21st century we could say that without connectivity there is no life. In the last five years, in line with the European digital agenda, the Spanish government has advanced to universalize broadband coverage, guaranteeing adequate connectivity for 200% of the population, in 100% of the territory.”

In this regard, Limón Bayo highlighted actions such as “the commitment to improving connectivity infrastructure, promoting training and remote work policies, boosting digital entrepreneurship, and strengthening the legal framework for the use of AI, which have been key to ensuring that 96.3% of households today have internet access.” In addition to projects such as UNICO rural demand that facilitate “Spain closing the digital divide via satellite to reach areas with difficult coverage.”

The Role of Local Operators in the Digitalization of Rural Areas

During the meeting, the president of Aotec, Antonio García Vidal, noted that the arrival of connectivity to rural areas through companies such as Asteo opens new opportunities for the future. “It is about igniting the digital engine of the rural economy. The local operator, together with the neutral operator, is a technological activator. We are part of the rural productive fabric and we are involved in the digital literacy of people and businesses, giving them tools to transform realities.” For this change in mindset to occur, “it is not enough to offer technology; we need to adapt it to the needs of each community, establishing a close and human connection. We must help ensure that everyone, from young to old, is part of this digital revolution. Without forgetting people or territories .”

The moderator Pilar Bernat closed the meeting by highlighting the crucial importance of having data on internet use in small municipalities. While rural areas may not offer the greatest economic return when considering the cost of deployment in relation to their population density, compared to cities, they represent “those that most need connectivity, given the relevance of their connectivity for development and digital inclusion.”

 

 

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