Understanding broadband adoption in rural Australia

The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a model concerning broadband adoption in a rural setting.

A computer‐aided telephone survey was conducted to collect data to validate the proposed model in rural Australia.

It was found that relative advantage, utility outcomes, and facilitating conditions play a crucial role in explaining broadband adoption behavior amongst rural Australian households.

The key challenges to stakeholders involved in promoting broadband adoption in these settings are discussed in light of the findings.

A more realistic approach at household level was adopted to investigate broadband adoption in a rural setting. The theoretical framework offers a comprehensive view of broadband adoption applicable to rural Australia.