Broadband offers what a slow dial-up Internet connection has difficulty delivering; it extends to rural areas the information resources and conveniences generally enjoyed in urban communities. Better access to, among other services, e-health, e-commerce, banking, and online education becomes readily available. This can make a community more economically self-sufficient. Because the socio-economic gap between the richer and poorer is in part due to differential access to communication and information services that are necessary to be involved in a modern economy, the gap shrinks.

As more get connected to broadband, geographic boundaries fade. It is probable that people with internet have more relationships and they have a higher frequency of contacting community members. With the service, it is far easier and economical for migrants to stay in touch with those at home; email is becoming more widely used than the telephone. Connections become ‘to people’ instead of ‘to places’; work and community ties no longer link people in certain places but people at any place.

Although there are conflicting views, it seems that the internet adds on to face to face and telephone contact; it doesn’t detract from them. Peoples’ offline leisure pursuits and political interests continue online. Transnational networks that mobilize around issues can be more easily created as more people are connected and more people have access to necessary information.