Connecting the Future: Rural Broadband Technology, Policy and Impact, Toronto, September 19-20, 2012. Abstracts due by April 15th, 2012. http://business.queensu.ca/centres/monieson/economic_revitalization/Broadban... Call for Chapters: Management of Broadband Technology Innovation. Full chapters due by April 15, 2012. http://www.broadbandresearch.ca/ourresearch/CFP_broadband_book.pdf Broadband network connectivity is becoming an essential service. Individuals use broadband to connect to friends and family, to access services (e.g., healthcare, education), make purchases, and look up information and for entertainment. Governments are increasingly turning to broadband networks as a means of providing services to their constituents, while businesses rely on broadband to connect with suppliers and customers. It is widely understood that the deployment and effective use of broadband networks can result in social and economic benefits, and for this reason, governments are encouraging the development of ‘next generation’ (very high speed) broadband networks. Despite the apparent consensus that investment in broadband networks, coupled with network adoption, does result in positive outcomes there is a paucity of research that explores the ways that benefits are actually realised. This book will discuss barriers to broadband adoption and consider the nature of demand for next generation broadband connectivity among various user groups. It will critically explore claims of the benefits of broadband deployment, providing examples of successful and unsuccessful applications and services. The book will then examine the policy environments in which broadband networks are developed, and discuss strategies for network deployment. This book is a cutting edge research book written for researchers, students, academics and policy makers. The authors will draw from their expertise in Information Systems, Management, Strategy, and Communications Policy to provide insights into the value of broadband connectivity. In the midst of a transition to next generation broadband, this book aims to provide valuable insights on the deployment, adoption and usage of broadband services, regardless of the specific technologies used to provide services to users. For more information on this book, please contact Jyoti Choudrie (jyotichoudrie@gmail.com) or Catherine Middleton (catherine.middleton@ryerson.ca).