Planning a Ring-Tree Network to provide Telecommunication Services at Centres of Rural Population

Abstract

Nowadays certain centres of rural population are experimenting difficulties to access high-speed telecommunication networks. This phenomenon avoids the possibility of accessing to the digital revolution for such areas. The private companies are focusing their invest ment efforts in other more profitable areas. In such conditions, the governments have to promote alternatives to bridge the digital divide between rural and urban areas. We present how ring-tree topologies can be used as an adequate architecture to incorporate such less favoured areas in the Information Society. We present a case study for Andalucia (a wide region in the south of Spain) where a decision support system based on a genetic algorithm is implemented providing cost effective solutions. We make use of real life data from the telecommunication industry and present different solutions separated by coverage as well as a sensitivity analysis based on the main factors of the cost function.