Benefits of Mobile Communication in Rural Communities

Posted on: August 25, 2021

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Mobile communication — including cellphones, internet access and wireless telecommunications — is essential to private and public sectors. Residents, businesses, governmental agencies and emergency service personnel need access to reliable connectivity to promote safety and streamline operations. A reliable connection can also promote better business practices, enable digital learning and foster a stronger community.

The Benefits of Mobile Communication for Rural Communities

When you talk on your cellphone, search for something on a smartphone app, use a computer to access the internet or use digitally-controlled machines and equipment, you’re engaging in mobile communication. Mobile communication has gone beyond luxury or entertainment — it’s integral for surviving and succeeding in today’s world. Rural communities often lack critical communication technology, creating a digital divide and putting the lives and businesses there at a disadvantage.

Citizens and workers can thrive with these benefits of wireless communication in rural areas:

Help in Case of Emergencies

When disaster strikes, fast, reliable emergency services could make all the difference. Natural disasters, personal emergencies, critical deliveries and home repair services can become dire or expensive when home and business owners are left without a way to contact emergency personnel. Mobile communication grants access to valuable resources for small- and large-scale problems. Home and business owners alike can find everything from a how-to guide for repairing an emergency plumbing issue to the phone number for local services.

Fast and reliable mobile connections can also help emergency service professionals do their job more efficiently when they’ve arrived, letting them communicate with management and outside assistance for support.

Provide Easier Communication with Loved Ones and Others

Mobile connectivity makes it possible to stay connected to friends, family, businesses, brands and necessary services. It lets individuals stay up-to-date on potentially time-sensitive news updates and weather alerts while creating digital communities that enhance social connections. Cellphones and social networks make it possible to keep in touch in real time with loved ones, employers and schools.

Increase Efficiency for Farmers and Labor Workers

Farming and manual labor are physically demanding jobs, but modern technology alleviates some of the strain with helpful machine upgrades and innovative technology advancements. Mobile communication lets farmers and workers:

Increase productivity
Produce better quality products
Promote safer worksite conditions
Get valuable business insights

Modern farm equipment is technologically advanced, allowing farmers to collect and analyze property data, track environmental changes, sense harmful moisture levels, utilize sensors in storage areas and calculate formulas. Farmers can also receive automatic push alerts when it’s time to reorder supplies, contact investors or check crops. Technology and reliable communications also help farm businesses make important networking connections with clients.

Provide Further Marketing Opportunities for Rural Businesses and Services

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Cell towers in developing nations and rural communities provide better resources for businesses and services. Due to the lack of mobile connectivity, rural businesses can be at a disadvantage. When a community’s businesses and organizations are unable to thrive, the community itself cannot reach its full potential to better its residents’ lives. One study found that digital technology can create 360,000 jobs for rural communities in the next three years and grow rural business revenue by more than 21% during that time.

This success demands more mobile communication access to help rural businesses:

Utilize network-based business and expense software
Run internet marketing campaigns
Invest in professional IT management services
Reach new and existing customers
Offer clients multiple contact methods for better engagement
Create free and low-cost marketing alternatives via online ads, social media and email newsletters
Make it easier for customers to learn more about services and take action toward their next step
Build brand loyalty with the community
Open an e-commerce store and use digital sales to reach larger audiences and expand offerings
Compete with businesses in more developed or urban communities

Shorten the Digital Divide

An advantage of mobile towers in rural or developing areas is combating the “digital divide,” or the gap between necessary technology, mobile and internet connections and those who lack the education or resources to utilize them. In developed urban communities, 97% of individuals have high-speed internet access, while only 65% of those in rural areas do.

Older adults born in generations that predate the internet and modern mobile communication don’t have the same background and necessary experience as younger generations. Since over 10 million older adults live in rural communities, that divide widens even further.

The digital divide creates numerous problems, eliminating resources and knowledge for essentials like:

Long-distance learning
E-commerce
Emergency services
Online-only services
Forms and applications
At-home deliveries for essential items

Aid in “Anywhere, Anytime” Learning

Anywhere, anytime learning means individuals have the ability to engage in productive learning — like education related to schooling or a professional career — no matter where they are.

Examples of anywhere, anytime learning include:

Learning with online K-12 and higher education schooling
Working from home or in remote positions
Participating in long-distance or digital internship programs
Engaging in digital research via mobile communication
Building and mastering critical skills for job growth or attainment
Using the internet as a student to work on assignments at home

Anywhere, anytime learning isn’t just a concept — it’s a norm. More than 2.7 million K-12 students engage in part-time or full-time digital learning or online schooling, which includes attending class, posting on forums or getting online tutoring services. But younger students aren’t the only ones receiving an education online. In 2018, nearly 7 million adults were enrolled in a distance learning program for higher education for either one or all of their courses.

These programs allow students to access learning and professional development opportunities they wouldn’t have had otherwise. This type of learning is only possible in communities with fast, reliable and efficient mobile communication towers.

How To Provide Cell Access To Rural Areas

Mobile towers bring access to communication which help rural individuals and businesses succeed by creating an equal learning and growth environment. They allow farmers and manual laborers to take advantage of time-saving machines and processes to better their workflow while boosting visibility and sales for rural businesses. Mobile towers can also provide potentially life-saving emergency assistance for individuals living in isolated areas.

Aluma Tower Company specializes in lightweight aluminum mobile units that bring communication and connectivity to regions across the globe. Contact Aluma Tower online or call 772-238-6240 to learn more about how to get internet in remote areas and how we can help your rural community get and stay connected.