Mobile connectivity in rural areas remains a challenge in many EU Member States, with more than 3 million Europeans in sparsely populated areas lacking high-speed mobile coverage. The ability to access digital services during the COVID-19 crisis has aggravated this issue, with the urban-rural digital divide expected to widen in the future. At the same time changes in consumption and production patterns caused by the pandemic provide new opportunities for growth in remote regions, highlighting the urgent need for developing digital infrastructure in rural and remote areas as part of Europe’s recovery.
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