A Survey on Rural Internet Connectivity in India

Abstract: Rural connectivity is widely research topic for several years. In India, around 70% of the population have poor or no connectivity to access digital services. Different solutions are being tested and trialled around the world, especially in India. They key driving factor for reducing digital divide is exploring different solutions both technologically and economically to lower the cost for the network deployments and improving service adoption rate. In this survey, we aim to study the rural connectivity use-cases, state of art projects and initiatives, challenges, and technologies to improve digital connectivity in rural parts of India. The strengths and weakness of different technologies which are being tested for rural connectivity is analyzed. We also explore the rural use-case of 6G communication system which would be suitable for rural Indian scenario.